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Kleftiko — Greek roast lamb with potatoes and herbs
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/main-dishes/kleftiko-greek-roast-lamb-with-potatoes-and-herbs
About this recipe
Kleftiko is a Greek dish of lamb baked with potatoes, garlic and herbs in a tightly sealed packet. The meat turns tender and juicy as the potatoes soak up the lemony cooking juices. Oregano and rosemary bring out the flavor of the lamb, while red onion adds a gentle sweetness. The browned pieces of meat and golden potatoes are best served with the fragrant juices from the pan. It makes a hearty Sunday lunch or a dinner to share around the table.
Ingredients
Meat and vegetables
1200 g boneless lamb shoulder, weighed after trimming off thick outer fat
1000 g all-purpose potatoes (cooking type B), peeled weight
2 red onions, about 200 g after peeling
6 garlic cloves
Lemon, herbs and seasoning
1 large lemon, yielding about 50 ml juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 level tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
100 ml water
Steps
Pat the lamb dry with paper towels; do not rinse it. Cut into large pieces about 5–6 cm across, removing tough membranes and thick pockets of fat. Place in a large bowl.
Cut the peeled potatoes into large chunks, about 5 cm across; simply halve small ones. Cut the onions into thick wedges and finely chop the garlic. Strip the rosemary leaves from the stems and chop them, discarding the woody stems. Add the potatoes and onions to the bowl with the lamb.
Preheat the oven to 160°C using conventional heat. Squeeze the lemon and remove any seeds. Mix the juice with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, rosemary, all the salt and the pepper. Pour over the meat and vegetables and mix thoroughly to coat them evenly in the marinade. You can bake it right away.
Line a roasting pan about 35 × 25 cm with two long sheets of aluminum foil laid crosswise. Lay two large sheets of parchment paper suitable for 200°C over the foil in the same way, leaving enough overhang to seal the packet. Spread the potatoes and onions over the paper, then place the lamb on top. Scrape in all the marinade from the bowl and add 100 ml water. The food should touch the parchment, with the foil kept on the outside.
AI-generated Bring the parchment up over the ingredients, fold the edges over several times and tuck in the ends, leaving a little space inside. Then close the outer foil and firmly crimp every seam. The packet must hold in the steam and juices. Keep it in the roasting pan and place on the middle rack of the oven.
AI-generated Cook for about 3–3.5 hours. After 3 hours, take out the pan and carefully open the packet a little, directing the hot steam away from your face. The lamb should pull apart easily with a fork, and the potatoes should be tender in the middle. If the meat still resists, seal the packet again and continue cooking until tender; only then move on to browning.
Increase the oven temperature to 200°C. Open the packet and roll the parchment and foil back to the sides, below the rim of the pan. Gently move the lamb pieces apart to expose some of the potatoes, and spoon the juices from the bottom over everything. Bake uncovered for another 20–25 minutes, until the lamb and exposed potatoes have browned edges. Do not let the juices evaporate completely.
AI-generated Let the pan rest for 10 minutes. Divide the lamb, potatoes and onions into 6 portions. Spoon the juices from the bottom of the packet over each portion and serve hot, while the meat is juicy and the potatoes are soft and fragrant with herbs.
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