The lamb needs 4½ hours in the oven, so it’s probably best to make it a late lunch. Done this way, the meat needs little encouragement to fall lazily from the bone.

Serves 6

1 shoulder of lamb, bone in (about 2.2kg)
Salt and pepper
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
Olive oil
2 big carrots, finely chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 sprigs of rosemary
3 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 small bunch of parsley, plus a handful more, for sprinkling
400g tin of chopped plum tomatoes
300ml red wine
300ml chicken stock
3 x 400ml tins of butter beans, rinsed and drained
Zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3. Rub the lamb shoulder all over with salt and pepper. Using the point of a knife, make about 12 incisions in the skin side. In each one, stuff a quarter of a clove of garlic (you’ll need to use 3 cloves in total).

In a large roasting tin, heat a good splash of olive oil on the hob. Add the lamb and brown well on all sides – this will take about 15 minutes. Make sure it’s a decent colour, as it won’t get much opportunity to brown in the oven. Remove from the tin and keep to one side.

Throw the chopped vegetables and remaining garlic into the roasting tin with the herbs and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften; add a splash more oil if needed. Pour in the tomatoes, wine and stock and bring to a bubble. Place the lamb on top, skin side down. Cover the roasting tin securely with a large sheet of foil (seal it properly around the edges) and place in the oven for 2 hours.

When the 2 hours are up, stir in the beans and turn over the lamb, so it’s skin side up. Replace the foil and return to the oven for 2 more hours. By now, the meat should be tender and easily pulled from the bone.

Finally, remove the foil, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes to brown the top a little more. Pour off the fat (you should get most of it if you tip off a couple of cupfuls) and season the beans and vegetables well and stir well. Then add a handful of chopped parsley, plus the grated zest of the lemon. Let people help themselves at the table. A green salad is all you need on the side. Maybe something like this . . .

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