Bone in Lamb Shoulder Kleftiko | Heritage Meat

Lamb Kleftiko is steeped in history and is said to be named after the Klephts, a group of bandits who fought Ottoman rule in Greece between the fourteenth and nineteenth centuries. These sheep-rustling bandits would cook their ill-gotten gains on coals in a covered hole or underground pit to avoid detection.

This is our version, utilizing our beautiful Bone in Lamb Shoulder. Roasted for over six hours with garlic, tomatoes, olives, peppers and potatoes, the lamb is succulent and falls from the bone. This is an ultimate and spectacular "social eating" food experience, a dinner party go to! A whole bone lamb leg would be an acceptable replacement if that was your preference. For a smaller dish, ask us for a half bone in shoulder, or even a boned out rolled shoulder. You could even use some good sized, thick cut, bone in shoulder chops. The dish below will comfortably feed six to eight people, the smaller cuts will be better suited to four to six.

Ingredients

• .75kg Waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
• .75kg Red Kumara, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 Red Capsicum, sliced thickly
• 1 Yellow Capsicum, sliced thickly
• 3 ripe Tomatoes, quartered
• Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Shoulder of Lamb (about 2.5kg)
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Cup Love
• 60ml Olive oil
• 1 Bulb Garlic, cut in half horizontally
• 1 Teaspoon dried Oregano
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 200ml Beef Stock
• Olives
• Anchovies
• 170g Feta cheese, roughly crumbled

Method

On the stovetop, heat a pan. Yes, it's Maillard reaction time! Get the lamb into the pan and start to create some crust and colour. The flavour profile this brings to the finished dish is significant. Once that caramelisation has occurred, transfer as below. In the same pan, add the potatoes, kumara and garlic. Toss for two or three minutes in the lamb fat to get some colour, then again, transfer as below. Finally, as part of this process, add the wine and balsamic vinegar to the hot pan, and with a wooden spoon, remove all of those beautiful specs of meat (sucs) from the base. Reduce the wine and vinegar by at least half, then add to the final dish when adding your stock.

Heat the oven to 150°C. Place the potatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper, garlic, tomatoes, rosemary sprigs, olives and anchovies in a large, flameproof oven dish or tin and season with the salt and pepper. Put the shoulder of lamb on top and pour over the lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle all over with the oregano. Pour the stock, and wine/vinegar mix into the dish and cover with foil, sealing the edges well to retain the moisture as it cooks. (A large enameled, lidded, cast-iron pot, such as Le Creuset, would also be suitable).

You can most certainly cook this for longer. I regularly put this on in the morning at around 110 degrees, and allow it to cook all day. I've even been known to do a twenty four hour cook. The longer you cook, the lower the temperature.

Cook for five to six hours until the meat is falling off the bone, adding a little more water, if necessary, halfway through to keep the vegetables moist. The true test is that when cooked properly, the bones will slide out without real resistance. Remove the foil (or lid) and add the feta, then return to the oven for 10 more minutes. After this time, check the consistency of the juices. If the dish seems a little dry, add a little more water. If too dilute, transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving dish and reduce down the liquid on the hob.

Serve the meat in chunks or thick slices with the vegetables and juices.

Again, I've elevated the dish slightly from what many Greeks would consider a true Kleftiko. The Klefts didn't really have access to much other than lamb, potatoes, and olive oil. However, it is a dish that has progressed over time, and my additions add depth of flavour, colour and texture, whilst remaining true to the dish's origins, with a distinctly Mediterranean feel.

Anchovies? You ask! Yes. You will see…

Enjoy!

Cheers, Huw