Braised Shoulder of Lamb with Crushed Pea Salsa

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

Season both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and brown the lamb until golden on both sides. Transfer to a baking dish or roasting pan.

Add the onions to the sauté pan, season and cook for 5 minutes. Add all the spices, garlic and the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan is too dry.

Add the stock and bring to the boil. Tip the sauce over the lamb, making sure the onions are covering the top of the meat. Cover with a piece of baking paper, then cover tightly with foil or a lid.

Braise for 3 hours then test the meat with a fork, it should pull apart easily. If it doesn’t, cover again and continue to braise until meltingly tender.

To serve: Transfer the lamb to a large platter and slice or pull the meat apart. Dollop over the salsa and top with almonds and lemon zest.

Crushed Pea and Yoghurt Salsa

Blanch the peas in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh.

Place in a bowl and crush half of them with a fork. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and season well. Fold in the peas.