Kleftiko

Photo: flickr user Nikchick

Ingredients

to 1.8kg lean shoulder of lamb boned

4 fat clv garlic cut in spikes

2 lrg mild onions sliced

1 salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 juice of I lemon

tablespoon I fresh rosemary

Preparation

I tablespoon fresh marjoram chopped fresh parsley

Open out the shoulder of lamb flat and remove any pockets of fat and excess fat. Make incisions into the lamb with a sharp pointed knife and in each hole slip a spike of garlic.

Lie the lamb flat in the roasting tin skin side down.

Slide the tin on to the top set of runners in the roasting oven and brown the meat. It will take about 30 minutes.

Lift out remove any fat from the roasting tin add the onions to the tin season and add lemon juice and herbs.

Return the lamb to the tin skin side up. Return to the roasting oven on the top set of runners and brown.

It will take 20 minutes or so.

Transfer to a large ovenproof casserole cover and bring to the boil then transfer to the simmering oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until really tender.

Carve and serve with the onions and juices and a sprinkling of parsley.

This greek dish is very easy cooked for ages in the simmering oven until the meat falls oft the bone. Use six knuckles of lamb instead of shoulder if preferred. The juices are thin for this recipe so if a thicker sauce is preferred thicken with a little cornflour and keep the lamb warm whilst this is being done.

Serves 6