YOGURT SAUCE

• ½ cup (90 g) Balkan-style yogurt
• handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) cinnamon
• zest & juice of ½ lemon
  

LAMB SHOULDER 

• bone-in lamb shoulder, ~3 lbs (1.35 kg)
• whole head garlic, peeled and crushed
• 10 sprigs rosemary
• salt & pepper
• olive oil
• zest & juice of ½ lemon
  

CONFITED FENNEL 

• 1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced into ~2” x 1” (5 cm x 2.5 cm) pieces
• butter
• olive oil
  

SMOKED PEARS 

• 2 Bosc pears
  

GARNISH 

• ¼ cup (40 g) shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped to medium size
  

YOGURT SAUCE

Mix together all ingredients with a spoon and refrigerate till needed.

LAMB SHOULDER

Preheat the oven to 500°F/260°C.

Smother lamb shoulder with rosemary, crushed garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Place in shallow roasting pan and cover with foil. Place in oven and immediately turn heat down to 325°F/162.8°C. Roast covered for 4 hours.

Cut lamb away from bones and portion into serving sizes.

CONFITED FENNEL 

Melt butter in wide, heavy-bottomed pan with lid. Add splash of olive oil. Add fennel in single layer with no overlapping. Crack fresh black pepper and sprinkle salt over top. Turn heat to med-low and put lid on pan. Leave to cook for 30 minutes, until soft but not falling apart.

Presentation:  Place 2 tablespoons (17 g) of yogurt sauce on plate, spreading sauce across plate with back of spoon. Place portion of lamb in center of sauce. Surround lamb with chunks of confited fennel and slices of smoked pear. Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top.‍

Optional garnish: chive chiffonade, scallion ash