Serves 4
Lamb
Remove the lamb from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Season generously with sea salt and place uncovered (or loosely covered) in the fridge overnight.
The next day, remove the lamb from the fridge 30–60min before cooking.
Preheat an oven to 150°C (fan-forced 140°C).
Heat a large casserole dish, over high heat, and add a drizzle of cooking oil.
Lay the lamb shoulder into the dish, browning all sides evenly for approximately 10min until deeply coloured.
Remove the lamb and lay on a plate.
Add the vegetables and the lemon halves to the casserole dish and nestle the lamb into them - the vegetables should be both underneath and tucked around the lamb.
Pour over the wine and chicken stock - the liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the lamb, with the surface partly exposed.
Add the thyme and bay leaves.
Place the lid on the dish and transfer to the preheated oven, cooking for 2–2.5 hours.
The lamb should be very tender and yielding when pierced with a knife and beginning to pull away from the bone.
To Serve
Leave the lamb to cool slightly before removing from the dish.
Debone the lamb by sliding the bones out (this should be a relatively easy process) before portioning into four even pieces.
Taste and season the braising liquid and remove the lemon, thyme stems and bay leaves - they have fulfilled their duty. Gently stir through the picked mint and parsley.
Spoon out even portions of the vegetables and cooking liquid into four shallow bowls. Lay the lamb proudly on top of the vegetables and serve.
Tips
If you have the time, you may separate the tomatoes, celery and turnips and add them in for the last hour of cooking to help them retain a firmer texture.
Different vegetables depending on the season may be substituted with fantastic results.
