Tony Bilson: Confit of lamb shoulder

Serves 4 Prep time 20 mins, cook 8 hrs 45 mins Using a method similar to that employed for confit of duck, this tender lamb dish is a winter winner – try it with a Bordeaux or Penfolds Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006.

Preheat oven to 90C. For seasoned salt, coarsely grind juniper and star anise in a mortar and pestle (1 minute), then transfer to a bowl. Bruise garlic in a mortar and pestle, add to spices with remaining ingredients, mix well to combine.

Rub seasoned salt all over lamb pieces and place in a large roasting pan. Add veal stock, tomato, thyme sprigs and bay leaf, cover with foil and cook until very tender (6-8 hours, or overnight). Remove lamb from pan and set aside. Strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half (5-6 minutes).

Increase oven to 130C. Combine butter, mustard, garlic and chopped thyme in a bowl and brush thickly over lamb. Place lamb in a single layer in a roasting pan, roast for 30 minutes, increase oven to 200C and roast until crisp (7-8 minutes).

Just before serving, heat olive oil in a small frying pan over high heat, add cherry tomatoes, cut side down, and cook until just caramelised (1-2 minutes), set aside and keep warm. Blanch remaining vegetables until just tender (2-3 minutes for turnips, 1-2 minutes for asparagus, 1 minute for sugar snap peas), drain and keep warm. Serve lamb hot drizzled with sauce, with cherry tomatoes, asparagus, turnips and sugar snap peas.