Warm pulled lamb and pomegranate salad
Lamb
Warm pulled lamb and pomegranate salad
A magnificent warm salad of slow-cooked lamb shoulder tossed with tender roasted squash, bulgur, garlicky yoghurt and pomegranate seeds. The sweet and sour flavours of pomegranate make a good alternative to mint sauce for balancing out the richness of lamb. If you can't find pomegranate molasses simmer down some pomegranate juice by 60% instead.
Ingredients
- 500g/950g boneless lamb shoulder
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses or reduced
- pomegranate juice (see above)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- for the salad:
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- 2 tbsp harissa paste
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 140g bulgur wheat
- 600ml hot vegetable stock
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- juice of 1 lemon
- 150g natural yoghurt
- 200g kale, cavolo nero or purple
- sprouting broccoli
- seeds from half a pomegranate
Method
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Step 1
Mix the pomegranate molasses/reduced juice, garlic, oregano, cumin and cinnamon to a paste and rub it into the lamb.
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Step 2
Wrap in foil and roast for 3-4 hours at 150°C/Gas 2.
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Step 3
Remove from the oven and check that it's cooked enough to shred – you should be able to push a spoon into the meat without too much effort.
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Step 4
Allow to cool slightly and shred with a couple of forks, or your fingers.
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Step 5
To make the salad, first heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
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Step 6
Toss the squash chunks with the harissa paste and 1 tbsp of oil, then spread out on a large baking tray and roast for 20 minutes until softened and beginning to char around the edges.
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Step 7
Strip the leaves from the cavolo nero/kale, or trim the purple sprouting broccoli. Cut into pieces and blanch in salted boiling water for 4 minutes. Drain well.
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Step 8
Meanwhile put the bulgur wheat in a large bowl and pour over the hot stock.
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Step 9
Cover with clingfilm and leave to absorb the liquid for 15 minutes until the grains are tender, but still have a little bite.
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Step 10
Mix half the lemon juice and the rest of the olive oil and mix together with the squash, kale and bulgur as it cools.
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Step 11
In a separate bowl, mix the garlic and other half of the lemon juice into the yogurt and season to taste.
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Step 12
Warm however much shredded lamb you feel is right (it probably won't need all of it, unless you are particularly hungry or carnivorous) and serve with the salad, pomegranate seeds and garlicky yogurt.
