Ingredients

• Serves 4 - 6

• 1 x Kg Lamb shoulder butterflied - see butchers note. Cut into 6cm pieces

• Plain flour

• 2 x Medium onions - loosely diced

• 2 x Medium/Small carrots - cut to 3cm julienne style

• 4 x Garlic cloves, finely diced

• 2 x Tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 x Cups very best home made chicken stock - important. See note

• 2 x Teaspoons pomegranate molasses

• 2 x Teaspoons Mediterranean dried oregano

• 1/4 x Cup pistachio nuts - crushed. Walnuts would be an alternative if pistachio not available

• 2 x Teaspoons aleppo chilli peppers.

• 1 x Tin Italian whole tomatoes

• 1 x Cup baby spinach leaves - pressed

• 1/2 x Teaspoon blackpepper

• 1/2 x Teaspoon salt or less if you prefer

Preparation

Dust the lamb with the flour then in a large pot with a little olive oil brown the lamb pieces on all sides. Set aside.

Next fully caramelise the onions and carrots - about 15 minutes then place the tomato paste at the bottom of the hot pan and allow about three minutes to remove the bitterness then stir into the onions.

Now, add the chicken stock, spices, pistachio nuts, salt and pepper, aleppo chilli and pomegranate molasses and stir well to mix, then return the lamb to the pot. Add the tomatoes and stir well then bake covered with foil and lid for two hours at 180c. so the meat is falling apart.

After one hour check progress, add the spinach and lightly stir before returning to the oven.

Important: Have your butcher bone the lamb shoulder leaving in one piece so you can portion as you prefer, however, we found the 6cm pieces worked well.

An essential component of the flavour is the quality of the stock. Always important.

The Aleppo peppers are only miid but like the stock and pomegranate molasses give a noticeble and the unique flavour to the recipe.

Comments: The pomegranate molasses, the pistachio nuts, aleppo peppers and your stock combining for wonderful flavours.