Panagiotis Baked Lamb
This has to be one of my most favourite methods of cooking lamb. Slow baked with potatoes, lemon juice, garlic and herbs, all drenched in oodles of sun kissed extra virgin olive oil. Simplicity at its best and oh so delicious.
This wonderful recipe was shared with me by a very talented Greek Chef Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, who runs a traditional taverna up in the hills overlooking Pylos, the small picturesque seaside town, located in the southwest of Messinia, Greece.
Panagiotis would cook his lamb outside in the traditional wood oven but for those of us at home, a conventional oven will work too. Do open this link and travel to the warmth of his mediterranean home plus check out how he makes his lamb – https://trichordo.gr/
For the English translation of Trichordo (and if Google does not invite translation) press Αγγλικά which means English.
Enjoy the video and whilst you bake this lovely dish at home, I tempt you to dream of summers to come and a visit to Greece.
Ingredients
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1.2kg shoulder of lamb bone removed- or 6 thick large lamb chops on the bone, left whole
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4 large potatoes- peeled and cut into thick chips or chunks
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4 large cloves garlic- roughly chopped
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4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
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Generous tablespoon oregano
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Generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil
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6 medium lemons- juice of all 6 with 3 cut into chunks
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Generous sprinkling of sea salt
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Generous grind of coarse black pepper
Instructions
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Prepare lamb:
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01 If using shoulder remove from the bone (or ask the butcher to do this). Cut into medium sized chunks.
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Assemble to bake in the oven:
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02 Take a large roasting tin, oil lightly the base and place all the ingredients in the pan, starting with the meat and then pile the potatoes, oregano and sprigs of rosemary on top.
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03 In a separate bowl mix together the lemon juice and a generous amount of olive oil. Pour this all over the meat and potatoes. With clean hands now mix well until all is covered with the oily lemon juice, and finally sprinkle well with sea salt and ground black pepper.
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To cook:
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04 Place in the oven and bake slowly in the centre of the oven uncovered for 2 hours, spooning over the lovely juices now and again to keep the meat moist.
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To serve:
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05 Delicious hot with a simple green salad and extra quarters of fresh lemon.
Notes
Either use a boned out shoulder of lamb cut into medium sized pieces or whole thick lamb chops with bone. Make sure the meat and potatoes are well covered with the lemon and olive oil liquid before cooking, and if appears to be drying out add extra lemon juice and another glug of olive oil. I do not give quantities for the olive oil as no Greek cooks like that, however, if you need guidance one uses approximately 300mls or so of extra virgin olive oil.
