Pomegranate Molasses Braised Shoulder of Lamb with Roasted Cauliflower Salad and Beetroot with Mint Yogurt

I know another big hunk of meat ( can I cook anything else) But this is a lovely way to feed people on a Friday night  plenty of salads and flatbreads, it feels instantly social digging into a plate together and since we are currently lacking a dining table its easier to eat from a coffee table no need to carve just scoop and stuff in your mouth

I have wanted to cook lamb with pomegranate molasses for ages. I just never quite got it together when living in Bristol where the tiny store round the corner from me sold litres of the stuff.  However on moving up here I couldn’t find it anywhere I was debating making my own and needed to wait until pomegranates came into season in Sept/Oct then I wandered into the heaven that is Kaya Food Centre with two stores in Central Nottingham  (Alfreton Road & Upper Parliament St). Kaya  which stocks a massive range of world foods every dried grain,pasta, cheese,  olives , flatbreads as well as Halal Meats, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.

I got a bargain piece of shoulder of lamb from the butcher, it was the leftover cut  from a rolled shoulder  still plenty of meat left but not the most attractive cut before cooking , all sticky out bones and ribs. 

But this recipe would work with a whole shoulder or a leg of lamb. The sourness of the pomegranate cuts through the fatty lamb and is sweet with the roasted onions and garlic making a perfect gravy. I keep using the same basic premise for these slow cook cuts , slow cooking first then a roast to crisp the outside and make juices go sticky. 

Once pomegranates come into season I would probably scatter some fresh pomegranate seeds into the juice before serving.

Pomegranate Molasses Braised Shoulder of Lamb

100ml of pomegrante mollasses
100ml of water
3 large onions finely sliced
4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped

1. If possible leave the lamb to marinade for a few hours in the mollasses
2. Place the onions and garlic in the bottom of a cast iron lidded pan , add the water
3. Add the lamb on top and pour over the pomegranate mollases rubbing it into the lamb
4. Cover and place in the oven at 150degC for 3 hours for a 1kg joint ( add 20 minutes extra per 500g)
5. Remove the lamb joint from the juices, pour the juices into a bowl leave for half an hour to allow the fat to move to the top. Skim off the fat and discard.
6. Return the lamb and skimmed juice to the oven in a roasting tray, You can drizzle over some extra pomegranate molasses at this point
7. Cook for 30 minutes at 190degC until the juices are bubbling and lamb is browned
8. Serve by slicing the lamb into chunks on a large platter covered with the juices and caramalised onions and garlic

Although I may cook got for big hunks of meat I always want lots of salad and with autumn here are two of my favourites for those vegetables delicious wrapped with the lamb in strips of lavash ( flat bread) thin as parchment paper

Roasted Cauliflower with Pepper Preserved Lemon and Black Olive Salad

This is a salad that  uses all my fridge goodies to create a bright sunny salad even in winter.  Salty black olives, home preserved lemons  , roasted red peppers ( I buy bags of red peppers when they are glutting and roast them in the oven . They keep for weeks in a jar with olives and olive oil , I do the same with roasted garlic)

1. Cut the cauliflower into small floret , place on a baking sheet and season with paprika and salt
2. Drizzle with olive oil , roast at 190degc for 25 minutes
3. Mix with chopped preserved lemon , black olives, roasted red peppers & fresh parsley
4. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice.

Beetroot and Mint Yogurt

1. Cut the beetroot into medium chunks , sprinkle with cumin seeds and salt.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 25 minutes at 190degC
3. Mix with yogurt and fresh chopped mint