Lamb with Chickpea Puree and Hot Mint Sauce

Lamb with Chickpea Puree and Hot Mint Sauce
Serving Size: 4 to 6

1 shoulder of lamb, about 1.6 - 1.8 kg (3.5 - 4 lbs)
Sea salt and black pepper

Marinade
4 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 medium red onion, finely grated
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil


To serve:
1 quantity Chickpea Puree (see below)
1 quantity Hot Mint Sauce (see below)
Place the lamb in a large roasting pan. If you are using a shoulder, score the surface very lightly 1-2mm deep in a 1 cm criss-cross pattern to help the marinade penetrate the meat.
Mix all the marinade ingredients together except the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and rub all over the meat. Now add the olive oil (it can prevent the acidity of the lemon and vinegar from penetrating the meat), and leave to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, turning occasionally, or in the fridge overnight.

Preheat the oven to 160C (325F). Cook the lamb for a minimum of 3 hours, adding a small glass of water (125ml or 1/2 cup) to the pan after the first 30 minutes and each subsequent hour. Baste the lamb every 45 minutes. To test if the lamb is ready, insert a wooden skewer in the centre: if the meat is soft and has a lot of give, then it is done. Let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.