Lamb Kleftico

Kleftico is a traditional Greek dish typically eaten at Easter. You can either cook this in a casserole dish with the lid on, or use the same dish and wrap the lamb in a parcel of parchment (baking paper, wrapped at 90deg angles) as per the traditional method. Note that this isn't a traditional kleftico... it's a typically ludicrous, suped-up version (like most everything else I make). If you want a traditional kleftico, just delete half the ingredients (but I'm not telling you which half).

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Ingredients

• For the Marinade:
• 1 tblspn cinnamon, ground
• 1 tblspn dried oregano
• 1-2 tblspns garlic, minced
• 1 tblspn honey
• 50ml red wine vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tspn salt
• 1 tspn black pepper, ground
• For the Roast:
• 1-2kg Lamb Shoulder, bone-in or out
• Extra virgin live oil
• 1 kg waxy potatoes, wedges
• 1 large red onion, wedges
• 1 red chilli, strips (optional)
• 0.5 red capsicum, 2.5cm chunks
• 0.5 yellow capsicum, 2.5cm chunks
• 0.5 green capsicum, 2.5cm chunks
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1 whole lemon, halved laterally
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• 200ml dry white wine
• 200g feta cheese, cubed

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160degC
2. Open up your lamb to expose as much flesh area as possible. Make extra cuts to create more surface area if you like. Rub the meat with good olive oil.
3. Make the marinade by mixing together all the ingredients in a blender. Using your fingers, thoroughly coat both sides of the lamb. Cover and leave for 12 hours.
4. Line the base of a large lidded casserole dish with the potatoes and season. Add the onion, chilli (optional), capsicums and cherry tomatoes. Place the lamb on top, spread-eagled with the fat side up.
5. Cut the garlic and remaining lemon in half laterally, squeeze the lemon briefly over the potatoes, and tuck the lemon halves and the garlic in around the joint along with the bay leaf. Pour the wine into the dish. Toss the feta cheese all over the shop.
6. Cover and bake for 4 hours until very tender.
7. Turn the oven up to 220degC and roast, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes. Then lift the lamb out and set aside, covered. Put the vegetables back in for 15 minutes until starting to brown, then serve with the meat. Garnish with rosemary (optional).
8. NOTE: Next day, have the leftovers for lunch, wrapped in flatbread or baked into some filo pastry.