Pot-roast spiced shoulder of lamb with chorizo and pearl barley

Name: Pot-roast spiced shoulder of lamb with chorizo and pearl barley
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 1 boneless rolled lamb shoulder, small; 550g of pearl barley; 1 carrot, peeled and halved lengthways; 1 onion, peeled and halved lengthways; 1 leek; 200g of chorizo sausage, finely sliced or diced; olive oil; 4 tsp black peppercorns; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 1 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp thyme, chopped; 1 tsp rosemary, chopped; 2 tsp paprika; 1 lemon, zested; 4 tsp olive oil

by Geoffrey Smeddle

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This homely pot-roast lamb recipe, developed by chef Geoffrey Smeddle as a contribution to the Sunday Herald, carries a dynamic flavour thanks to the warming spice mix rubbed onto the meat. The underrated pearl barley is combined with chorizo to form a potent partnership with the lamb.

First published in 2015

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Ingredients

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Pot-roast lamb

1 boneless rolled lamb shoulder, small
550g of pearl barley
1 carrot, peeled and halved lengthways
1 onion, peeled and halved lengthways
1 leek
200g of chorizo sausage, finely sliced or diced
olive oil

Spice rub

4 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp thyme, chopped
1 tsp rosemary, chopped
2 tsp paprika
1 lemon, zested
4 tsp olive oil

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Method

To start the dish, make the spice rub. Add the spices, herbs and zest to a pestle and mortar and grind until a paste is formed. Gradually add the olive oil until smooth

4 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
2 tsp paprika
1 lemon, zested
4 tsp olive oil

Slash the skin of the meat and rub the spice mix into the flesh before leaving to marinate for up to 12 hours. If short on time, 1 hours marinating will be fine, but the longer you leave it the stronger the flavour will be

1 boneless rolled lamb shoulder, small

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

Add the lamb to a deep-sided roasting try and place in the oven for 25 minutes, before removing from the oven and adding 200ml of water to the tray (but not the meat). Very lightly baste the lamb with the liquid before returning to the oven

Turn the temperature down to 170°C and cook for a further 40 minutes. Baste the meat every 10 minutes to keep it moist

Meanwhile, cook the pearl barley. Place the barley in a sieve and rinse well under the tap. Add to a large pan and pour over 4 times its volume in water

550g of pearl barley

Add the carrot, onion and leek to the pan, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cook for approximately 20 minutes until the pearl barley is tender, then drain, remove the vegetables, cover with a lid and set aside until needed

1 carrot, peeled and halved lengthways
1 onion, peeled and halved lengthways
1 leek

Once the lamb is cooked, remove from the oven, loosely cover with tin foil and leave to rest for 20 minutes before serving

Place a deep-sided saucepan over a low heat, add a splash of olive oil and slowly fry off the chorizo, allowing the oils to be released

100g of chorizo sausage
olive oil

Add the pearl barley to the chorizo and stir to nicely coat the grains in the chorizo oil. Divide the pearl barley onto plates and top with slices of lamb. Serve immediately

First published in 2015

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Geoffrey Smeddle

Geoffrey Smeddle, proprietor and chef of The Peat Inn in Fife, started his career working for Herbert Berger at The Café Royal and for Christopher Galvin in London. He then sealed his reputation as one of Scotland’s top chefs by opening Terence Conran's Etain, in Glasgow.