Ben Tish’s three-course menu is a symphony of Mediterranean flavours – make the tart ahead of time, pop the lamb in the oven to slow-cook in the afternoon, then all you have to do is prepare the simple starter
PHOTOGRAPHS SEAN CALITZ FOOD STYLING JESS MEYER STYLING SARAH BIRKS
BEN’S CULINARY JOURNEY After cutting his teeth working under Jason Atherton, delicious. regular Ben Tish made his name as a chef and partner in the Salt Yard Group of small-plates Mediterranean restaurants in London. He became the culinary director of The Stafford London hotel in St James, and in 2019 opened Norma restaurant in Fitzrovia to great acclaim. This year he joined the executive team at Cubitt House, a group of central London pubs, to revitalise their food offering while opening two new London sites. He’s written five cookbooks, most recently Moorish and Sicilia.
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder, beetroot and carrots with mint and garlic vinaigrette
Serves 4-6 Hands-on time 30 min, plus at least 4 hours marinating and resting Oven time 4 hours
MAKE AHEAD
The vinaigrette can be made up to 1 day ahead – add the torn mint leaves just before serving to avoid them browning. The lamb can be marinated up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. →
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• Grated zest and juice 1 orange
• 100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
• 1.8kg lamb shoulder, bone in
• 500g carrots
• 300g young beetroot, leaves trimmed
For the vinaigrette
• 150ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• ½ bunch fresh mint, stalks and leaves separated
• 100ml red wine vinegar
1 Mix the garlic, anchovies, spices, herbs, orange zest and juice with the 100ml oil and lots of seasoning. Put the lamb in a bowl and pour the marinade all over it, massaging it into the meat. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge an hour before cooking.
2 Heat the oven to 140°C fan/gas 2. Put the lamb with its marinade in a large casserole or roasting tin. Wet a large sheet of baking paper, then lay it over the lamb, tucking in the sides. Cover the casserole/tin tightly with foil or a tight-fitting lid, then cook for 3½ hours or until the lamb is very tender and juicy.
3 While the lamb is cooking, put the carrots and beetroot onto 2 separate foil squares. Season and d
