Plati Sto Fourno, Slow-roasted Shoulder of Lamb by Kathy Tsaples - Sweet Greek

By Kathy Tsaples, Sweet Greek

 cooking with 

By Kathy Tsaples, Melbourne's Godmother of Greek Cuisine!

In the 1950s and 60s Australia experienced a new wave of multiculturalism. Our country brought new hopes and dreams for my parents and the many that migrated from Europe seeking a better life. Born in the migrant suburb of Richmond, I grew up learning to cook traditional Greek cuisine from my mother. These recipes have been passed down from generations. Our food is engrained with our culture and spirit. I learnt to cook instinctively through my family. The Hellenic cuisine evokes memories I will cherish forever. My food is a celebration of life!

I now stand proudly behind my two cookbooks, Sweet Greek and Sweet Greek Life that are available to buy from Grecian Purveyor HERE.

In 2016 I was awarded the winner of the HACCI Award for business excellence. My vision to share my love for food and the Hellenic culture has materialised more than I could have imagined. Sharing my passion, I invite everyone to experience Sweet Greek for themselves.

“Celebrating life by cooking the food we love and sharing the table with our loved ones.”

Slow-roasted Shoulder of Lamb

Easter Sunday has always been a special day for me due to its plethora of foods; a table full of delicious dishes, from tsoureki to red eggs, to koulouria and of course Slow-roasted Shoulder of Lamb, which is a family favourite. It is the hero dish we make on Easter Sunday. The aromas of the lamb, garlic, lemon and herbs permeate the kitchen as it slowly cooks. After the long period of fasting from any meat product, we await anxiously to sit at the table to enjoy the succulent lamb. That said, I do cook this dish at other times throughout the year as well, especially if I’m entertaining for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

1 shoulder of lamb

2 lemons, skin and pith removed so you have 
just the flesh

3 onions

1 head of garlic

8 cloves of garlic, 
peeled and sliced 
in half

Plenty of Extra virgin olive oil Ladi Biosas

1 tbsp Mountain Treasures Organic Oregano

sprigs of rosemary

2 tsp cooking salt Salt Odyssey Fleur de Sel

1 tsp black pepper 

Method

Start with the best lamb. I buy Salt Bush lamb from my butcher and get him to de-bone it, leaving only the shank. You can leave the bones if you prefer.

Select your best platter and serve your friends and family a dish that they will never forget!

Firstly, clean your lamb using a damp paper towel. Remove any fat that you don’t want, but don’t remove too much because fat keeps the meat moist.

Preheat your oven to 200˚C.

Clean and peel the onions. Slice them about L/e inch thick and assemble them on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on them and drizzle olive oil. 

Place the lamb on top.

In a bowl, put the salt, pepper, oregano and garlic cloves (halve the garlic cloves as it is easier to insert). Generously sprinkle the seasoning over the lamb on both sides.  

Using a sharp knife, make incisions all over the lamb. Insert the garlic cloves and a little rosemary into these incisions.

Now you need to slice your lemons and place the slices all over the lamb.

Cut the whole head of garlic in half and place halves in the baking dish.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the lamb. 

Tear a sheet of baking paper large enough to cover your dish. Wet it under a tap, scrunch it up and cover your lamb as though the baking paper were a little blanket. 

Cover the entire baking dish with foil and put it in the oven. For the first 30 minutes, bake it at 200˚C in a fan-forced oven. Then reduce your temperature to 150˚C and bake for a further 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the foil and baking paper and bake the lamb uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Sweet Greek began with the vision and passion to invite customers to our table with the traditional cuisine that we have grown up on. From freshly baked cakes and biscuits to home-cooked meals, Sweet Greek aims to provide our customers with a transcending experience of the Greek cuisine. Located in Prahran Market, Melbourne, we invite you to visit our shop and try our food and sweets! 

Thank you Kathy for cooking and sharing with us and the whole of Australia this mouth-watering recipe for slow-roasted shoulder of lamb. It's simply divine and soon it will become a family favourite in every Australian home, no doubt!

Visit https://sweetgreek.com.au to find out more about Kathy Tsaples, Sweet Greek, and her inspiring cook books.