Created for Australian Macadamias by Chef Matt Moran, the lively flavour and crunch of the macadamia and mint pesto takes this slow cooked lamb to a new level of delicious specialness. Perfect for any celebration, it is so tender you only need a spoon to serve it!
Ingredients
- 1 lamb shoulder on the bone (about 1.3kg), trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 litres chicken stock
Brine
- 300 g salt
- 200 g sugar
- 2 g black peppercorns
- 1 g juniper berries
- 1 g cloves
- 2 litres water
Macadamia + mint pesto
- 1 clove garlic roughly chopped
- 50 g macadamias roasted
- ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves picked
- 1 bunch mint leaves picked
- 200 ml grapeseed oil
- 3 tbsp chardonnay vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- For the brine, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely in the fridge before using. Place the lamb in a container, pour over enough brine to cover, then cover with plastic film and place in the fridge for 3 hours.
- Remove the lamb and pat dry with paper towel. Preheat the oven to 110°C. Place the lamb in a casserole dish with the garlic, rosemary, and chicken stock. Cover and roast for 3 ½ hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Remove the cover and turn oven up to 180°C, allow to cook for a further 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp.
- To make the mint pesto, place the garlic, macadamias, parsley, mint, and grapeseed oil in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl, stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the lamb with a scoop of macadamia pesto on top.