Slow-braised shoulder of lamb

Preheat the oven to 100 °C.

Massage salt and pepper into the shoulder.  Pour a little olive oil into an ovenproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid.

Sauté the shoulder in the casserole on the stovetop over medium heat until browned on both sides. Add the wine, thyme, bay leaves and chicken stock, put on the lid and roast in the middle of the oven for 8½ hours.
 
When done, remove the casserole from the oven and increase the temperature to 110 °C. (This lamb should ideally be done the night before or a day in advance. In which case, put the 8½-hour slow-braised lamb into the fridge and take it out before your guests arrive, making sure you leave enough time to put it in the oven for the last 1½ hours.)

Remove the lid and drain off the liquid, keeping it aside to reduce to make gravy later if you wish. Pour 1½ cups (375 ml) back into the casserole and return to the oven for 1½ hours while you prepare the rest of the feast.

For the roasted beetroot:

Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
Put the beetroot in an ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and tuck in the sprigs of thyme. Bake for 30–40 minutes until you can easily pierce a wedge with a skewer.

To make the parsley sauce:

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Serve the roasted beetroot hot or at room temperature with the slow-braised lamb, and the parsley sauce on the side.

Extracted from “Confessions of a Hungry Woman” by Sam Woulidge (Random House Struik)
Recipe created and prepared by Peter and Mariana Esterhuizen.