Woodfired Lamb Shoulder w/ Roasted Carrots & Spiced Honey Labneh
Serves: 6

Chefs’ note: Eat at Sandy’s finishes their lamb in a woodfired oven to impart a smoked flavour and an extra crisp. If you don’t have a woodfire oven, you can use a conventional oven instead.

For the lamb – roughly chop the unpeeled carrots, onions, and celery. Place some vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot over a high heat. Season the lamb shoulder and seal the meat on all sides until golden.

Remove the lamb from the pot, add the vegetables and garlic and fry until lightly-coloured and beginning to soften. Place the lamb back in the pot, add the bay leaf and cover with water. Line the surface of the liquid with a sheet of greaseproof paper and cover the pot with a lid. Place in an oven at 110⁰C and braise for 12-14 hours, or overnight.

While the lamb is braising, make the labna – in a bowl, combine the salt and yoghurt. Line a colander with muslin cloth and place the colander into a large bowl. Pour the yoghurt into the colander, cover with another layer of cloth, then place in the fridge overnight. The salt will draw the moisture away from the yoghurt, turning it into labna.

For the spiced carrots – preheat an oven to 200⁰C. Cut the peeled carrots in half lengthways, place in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Drain, then toss in vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread on a lined baking tray and roast until caramelised.

To finish the lamb – carefully remove the meat from the pot and place onto a roasting tray. Pour over some braising liquid, then roast the lamb at 200⁰C for 15 minutes, or until a crisp crust has formed.

Meanwhile, make the spiced honey – dry roast the spices in a non-stick pan over a low heat. Using a pestle and mortar, grind to a fine powder then combine with the remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and let the honey and spices infuse as the mixture cools.

To serve – place the roasted carrots onto a serving platter and drizzle with the honey. Top with spoonfuls of labna and scattering of mint leaves. Serve alongside the roasted lamb shoulder.