Roast Shoulder of Lamb with Tomato Sauce

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (Gas Mark 7), then take a large roasting dish and sit the lamb shoulder in it. Next, put the olive oil, thyme leaves and rosemary into the small bowl of a food processor and crush in the garlic. Add a good pinch of sea salt and a few turns of the pepper mill, then blend until you have a rough paste. Spoon the paste on to the outside of the lamb shoulder, then use your hands to rub it in, ensuring the lamb is coated all over. Roast the lamb for 20 minutes, then remove it from the oven and carefully cover it with foil (the dish will be hot). Lower the oven temperature to 150°C (Gas Mark 2), then put the foil-covered dish back into the oven for three hours.

When three hours are up, take the lamb out of the oven and remove the foil (you will need it again later). Skim as much fat as you can from the top of the meat juices in the dish, then pour the wine and tomatoes over the meat. Stir them into the meat juices in the base of the dish and add the reserved sprigs of thyme and rosemary. Put the lamb (uncovered) back into the oven for a further 40 minutes, by which time it should have become tender enough to cut into with the edge of a spoon.

Carefully spoon the tomato sauce into a clean saucepan, skimming off any fat. Re-cover the lamb with its foil and leave it to rest while you finish the sauce. Bring the tomato mixture up to a simmer, then stir in the honey, reduce the heat and let it bubble away for about 10 minutes until thickened (now is a good time to steam your greens). When the sauce is ready, check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed, then pour into a warmed serving bowl. Unwrap the lamb and carve it into thick slices, then take it to the table together with your chosen vegetables and the sauce.