Home >Recipes >Goat’s Milk Braised Lamb Shoulder with Garlic-Fennel Sauce and English Peas

Serves: 4

• 1 lamb shoulder, boned, trimmed of sinew, rolled and trussed
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 2 heads fennel, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
• 1/4 cup water
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Gray salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups fresh goat’s milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tsp toasted fennel seeds
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours

In a heavy bottomed braising pan, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the trussed lamb pieces and brown on all sides over high heat. Remove the lamb from the pan and pour out three-quarters of the fat. Return the pan to the heat and add the garlic and cook stirring for about 1–2 minutes, add the fennel, onions and fennel seeds and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are soft and slightly browned.

Add the water and scrape any fond from the bottom of the pan. Return the browned lamb to the pan and add the milk, cream and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to keep a bare simmer, cover the pan and cook slowly on the stovetop, or in a 300-degree oven for about 3 hours or until the lamb is very tender.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Carefully remove the lamb from the braising liquid and reserve. Using an immersion blender, emulsify the braising liquid and pass through a chinoise (fine strainer), check for seasoning and reserve.

For the Sauce

Combine the blanched peas and the spring onions in a saucepot. Add some of the milk sauce and heat gently. While the sauce and vegetables are heating, untie the lamb and slice into 6 equally-sized pieces. Finish the sauce and vegetables with the chopped parsley. To serve, transfer the lamb to a platter and spoon the sauce and vegetables on and around the lamb.