Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Lamb Shoulder with Chunky Buckwheat Tabbouleh & Quick Pickled Radishes

Serves: 6-8

Prep time: 20-30 mins (+ 4hrs-overnight marinating time)

Cook time: 4-5hours

Ingredients:

    • 2.5kg lamb shoulder on the bone
    • 500ml warm vegetable stock
  • Lamb marinade
    • 6 coriander stalks and roots (save the leaves for dressing)
    • 1 tsp thyme leaves, approximately 6-7 sprigs
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
    • Zest of 1 lemon
    • 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp ground cumin
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tsp salt flakes
    • 2 tsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tsp ground allspice
    • 1 tsp ground chilli
  • Chunky Buckwheat Tabbouleh
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • ½ cup buckwheat grains, also known as groats
    • 1 ½ cups boiling water
    • 2 tsp salt flakes
    • 1 bunch parsley, leaves removed, stalks discarded
    • 250g mini tomatoes, halved
    • 250g mini cucumbers, finely sliced, or 1 Lebanese cucumber, finely sliced
    • ¼ cup mint leaves, shredded
    • ½ pomegranate, seeds removed
    • ½ tsp sumac
    • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • Salt flakes and pepper for seasoning
  • Quick pickled radishes
    • 250g radishes, leaves trimmed and quartered
    • ¾ cup white wine vinegar
    • ¾ cup water
    • 1 tbsp caster sugar
    • 1 tsp salt flakes
    • To serve 6-8 flatbreads (recipe below if you want to make from scratch)
    • Yoghurt

Method:

To prepare the marinade for the lamb, blitz all the marinade ingredients together in a food processor. Rub the marinade all over the lamb and place into a roasting pan, cover with cling wrap and put into the fridge for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight.

The next day, remove the lamb from the fridge 30mins before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan forced.

Remove the cling wrap from the lamb and cook uncovered in the hot oven for 10 mins.

Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C. Add the stock to the pan, gently spooning the stock over the lamb, taking are not to wash away the marinade and continue to cook covered with foil or a lid for a further 5-5.5 hrs, occasionally basting the meat with the juices and cook until the meat is coming away from the bones and easily pulled apart using a fork. Uncover the lamb and turn the heat back up to 220°C and cook uncovered for 5-10 mins to caramalise the top. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, to make the chunky buckwheat tabbouleh, add the oil and buckwheat groats (if the groats are raw and untoasted) to a large saucepan, place over a medium heat and toast until they turn golden in colour. Turn the heat to low and add the boiling water, taking care as the water can spit and splatter. Cover and cook for 10 mins or the buckwheat is al dente in texture. Drain and rinse. Allow to cool.

Combine the remaining ingredients for the tabbouleh together in a large bowl with the cooled cooked buckwheat and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Set aside in the fridge until needed.

To make the quick pickled radishes, combine all ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside to pickle for 15-30 mins.

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