Lamb with Cumin and Pear

Last week I posted a photo on Instagram of a delicious recipe that I recently stumbled upon, stole from my Mother-in-Law and was asked to share the recipe here. So last night when I cooked it again for my friends I took a few quick snaps here and there and now, here I am. Now, apparently this recipe came from Karen Martini originally but I have been unable to find it on her website.

My Mother-In-Law cooks this meal, every single time we visit, and I absolutely love it. So I thought it was only fair that I should have a copy of this very loved recipe myself. I have now cooked it twice since returning home after Christmas time, and both guests have been more than impressed. It looks delicious, it smells divine, and it tastes sensational. So from my very appreciative taste buds, hopefully, to yours here is

Lamb with Pear and Cumin

What you will need

2 brown onions
1 lamb shoulder, semi-cut into portions (ask your butcher!)
2 tbsp cumin seed
2 tbsp peppercorns
5 cloves garlic
2 tbsp flaked salt
1 tbsp olive oil
7 sprigs thyme, leaves only
4 beurre bosc pears (or quinces)
3 tbsp raw sugar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
80 mls water

What to do

Preheat fan forced oven to 160 degrees

Create your delicious paste - crush cumin and peppercorns, garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle until a thick paste. Add your oil.

Trim and lightly score the lamb, then rub the paste into your lamb, making sure to rub into bones and cracks and crevices.
Slice onions into rounds and place on the bottom of a heavy ovenproof dish (I used a scanpan roasting dish), top the onion with the lamb, scatter thyme leaves and add halved pears to the pan. Sprinkle the sugar over the top. Lastly, add your vinegar and water.

Cover your pan with a double layer of foil and place into the oven for 4 hours. After which, remove the lamb and skim of the fat and baste the lamb, return to the oven uncovered and cook for a further 35 minutes at an increased temperature of 180 degrees.

Serve with mash potato and peas 

Enjoy!