LAMB KLEFTIKO

Lamb Kleftiko image

Provided by Paella Pete

Time 4h30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

6 lamb shanks
6 lamb chops
3 lemons
1 bulb of garlic
4 bay leaves
4 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 tablespoons marjoram
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
50 ml white wine or 50 ml water
2 kg waxy potatoes
salt and pepper

Steps:

Use an oven proof cooking pot with good fitting lid.
Heat oven to 150c.
Squeeze all the lemons, rub lemon juice over the meat. Work some of the dried oregano into the meat.
Place all the meat in the pot and pour in the remaining lemon juice.
Sprinkle the rest of the herbs onto the meat.
Remove the papery skin from the garlic bulb and slice it in half across its waist.
Nestle both halves of the garlic down into the pot.
Add a little salt and pepper, add the olive oil.
Finally add wine or water and seal the pot (use foil to create a good seal under the lid). Don't add potatoes yet!
Cook for about 3 hours, checking after two hours to make sure its not dried out. You should find the meat sitting in a inch or two of juice. If you have more than couple of inches of juice then drain a little off and set aside in case you want to add it back. Spoon some of hot liquid over exposed meat to keep it moist.
Prepare potatoes just before the 3 hours is up. These should be peeled and sliced in half along their length. Don't be tempted to cut them potatoes further!
After 3 hours cooking add the potatoes on top of the meat, dont push them down hard into the juice. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt on them and reseal the pot. Put back in the over for about an hour and quarter but turn the temp up a little to 160c. The potatoes should be cooked but not falling apart.