Dominic Chapman's chilli-marinated lamb shoulder recipe makes a great Sunday roast, with the chilli adding a warming kick to the herby marinade. Classic mint jelly, roast potatoes and cavolo nero make superb accompaniments.
The day before you plan to serve the lamb, make the marinade. Place all the ingredients (except the lamb) in a Vitamix container. Select Variable 1, increase to Variable 10 and blend well, until all the ingredients are well-chopped. Rub the marinade over the lamb, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours
On the day you plan to serve the lamb, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
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Preheat a large frying pan or flameproof roasting dish over a high heat. Once hot, add a dash of oil and sear the lamb until browned all over
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Transfer the lamb to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Cover with tin foil and tun the oven down to 140°C/gas mark 1. Cook slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until tender, checking every so often and adding a little water if the lamb seems to be drying out
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While the lamb is cooking, make the mint jelly. Add the water and mint to a Vitamix container and select Variable 1. Increase to Variable 10 blend until the mint is finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from the heat and allow to steep for 45 minutes. Strain the mixture, reserving the liquid and discarding the mint
Return the liquid to a saucepan and add the lemon juice and sugar. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Add the pectin and return to the boil, cooking for a further minute. Remove from the heat, skim any scum from the surface then stir in the food colouring. Add the fresh mint leaves, return to the blender and blitz until the leaves are finely chopped. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve
When the lamb is ready, remove from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place. Turn the oven up to 180°C/gas mark 4 and add the potatoes. Roast for 30 minutes
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For the cabbage, bring a large pan of well-salted water to a rapid boil. Add the cavolo nero and cook until tender, approximately 4–5 minutes. Drain and dress the leaves with the olive oil, salt and pepper
