Slow-cooked Greek lamb with lemon and olives
I like to carve the lamb in the baking dish and serve it very rustically
Replace your Sunday roast with this lovely Greek version of a meaty main. Make sure you leave 4 ½ hours for cooking and resting time.
(Serves: 6-8)
Ingredients:
2.5kg leg or shoulder of lambOlive oilSea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 bulb of garlic, separated into cloves4-6 bay leaves4 lemons, cut into quarters lengthways1 tsp of ground cinnamon150g Greek Kalkidis olives 1kg of Cypriot potatoes, washed peeled and cut lengthways into quarters (optional)
Method:
Put your oven on as high as it will go then score the fat of the lamb in a criss cross manner. In a deep sided baking dish put half the garlic cloves, 2 of the bay leaves and the lemon quarters into the bottom of the dish.
Place the lamb on top, drizzle with a good helping of oil rubbing it in all over, then take the remaining garlic cloves and bay leaves and stuff into the slashed fat of the lamb. Season well and sprinkle over the cinnamon.
Cover tightly with silver foil. Place into the oven then turn the oven down to 170C. Leave to cook for 4 hours. If you are adding the potatoes, put them around the lamb after 3 hours. After 4 hours take the foil off the lamb and keep to the side. Roast for a further ½ hour. 5 minutes before you remove the lamb throw in the green olives making sure they are covered in the meat liquor.
Take out of the oven, cover tightly again with foil and a tea towel and allow to rest