Greek Lamb Kleftiko
A slow-cooked Greek classic with meltingly tender lamb, lemon, garlic and fragrant herbs.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg lamb shoulder, cut into 4 large portions (or leave whole)
- 750 g waxy potatoes, cut into large chunks
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 lemons, 1 juiced, 1 cut into wedges
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 100 ml lamb or chicken stock
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 200 g feta cheese, cut into large chunks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- Warm crusty bread
- Greek salad
- Extra lemon wedges
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional/Gas Mark 4).
- Season the lamb generously with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.
- In a large roasting tin, combine the potatoes, onions, tomatoes and garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss well.
- Place the lamb on top of the vegetables. Pour over the lemon juice, white wine and stock.
- Add the bay leaves and tuck the lemon wedges around the lamb.
- Cover the roasting tin tightly with baking parchment followed by a double layer of foil. Traditionally, Kleftiko is sealed to trap all the steam, which keeps the lamb beautifully moist.
- Roast for 3½ hours without removing the cover.
- Carefully uncover the dish, scatter over the feta and return to the oven for 20–30 minutes, allowing the feta to soften and the lamb to take on a little colour.
- The lamb is ready when it falls apart easily with a fork, and the potatoes have absorbed all those wonderful cooking juices.
- Finish with chopped parsley and serve straight from the roasting dish.
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Notes
- Lamb shoulder is far better than leg for Kleftiko because the slow cooking melts all the connective tissue, giving wonderfully succulent meat.
- Don't skimp on the lemon. It lifts the richness of the lamb and is one of the defining flavours of the dish.
- If time allows, marinate the lamb overnight with the herbs, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice for even deeper flavour.
- A handful of Kalamata olives added for the final 30 minutes gives another authentic Greek touch.
Nutrition
785
Calories
35G
Fat
13G
Saturates
10G
Sugars
816G
Salt
61G
Protein
52G
Carbs
9G
Fibre
ⓘ UK Government Reference Intakes (RIs).
