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A Feast to Remember: Slow-Cooked Lamb w/ Fresh Ready-made Salads

 

Slow cooked lamb for entertaining. A table set with a meal

 

There’s something special about gathering family and friends around the table for a long, relaxed feast. Slow-cooked lamb shoulder, drizzled with warm garlic honey, is the kind of centrepiece that brings everyone together. Add a spread of fresh, vibrant salads and you’ve got a meal that feels both abundant and effortless.

We’ve teamed up with Ashley Alexander of Gather & Feast to share her Fennel Seed & White Wine Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder with Garlic Honey. It’s a dish that looks as impressive as it tastes, yet only asks for a little prep and a lot of slow, gentle cooking. Perfect for entertaining, special occasions, or a Sunday lunch with family.

And to make the feast truly stress-free, pair the lamb with our ready-made party-perfect salads. No chopping, no chaos — just fresh flavours that balance the richness of the lamb beautifully.

 

The salads to serve with slow cooked lamb

The Perfect Salad Pairings

We’ve selected four of our favourite salads to serve alongside Ashley’s lamb:

Black rice, beetroot walnut feta and rice

  • Black Rice, Beetroot, Walnut & Feta Salad
    Earthy and nutty with a creamy feta finish, this salad holds its own alongside slow-cooked meats.
    Shop Now »

Green goddess Salad

  • Green Goddess Salad
    Crisp, fresh and packed with greens, this one is light, vibrant, and the perfect counterpoint to lamb.
    Shop Now »

Couscous salad

  • Chermoula Couscous with Beetroot, Feta & Rocket
    Bright herbs and chermoula spice make this salad feel as celebratory as the lamb itself.
    Shop Now »

  • Cyprus Grain Salad with Preserved Lemon
    Zingy citrus and nutty grains make this a fresh, filling side that everyone will love.
    Shop Now »

  • Kale & Quinoa with Tahini
    A wholesome, protein-packed option with nutty quinoa, tender kale, and a creamy tahini dressing that balances beautifully with rich lamb.
    Shop Now »

 

Examples of how the slow cooked lamb looks, juicy and tender

The Recipe: Fennel Seed & White Wine Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder with Garlic Honey

By Ashley Alexander of Gather & Feast
Gather & Feast Website

Serves: 4–6, 6–10, or 10–14
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Dietary: Gluten-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Dairy-free

Ingredients

Serves 4–6 (1 Shoulder)

  • 1 × 1.2 kg bone-in lamb shoulder

  • 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds

  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 1 tsp fine sea salt

  • 1 large brown onion, peeled and thickly sliced

  • 500 ml dry white wine (or 470 ml water + 30 ml white or red wine vinegar)

Garlic Honey

  • 2 tbsp honey

  • 1 small clove fresh garlic, crushed or finely grated

  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Serves 6–10 (2 Shoulders)

  • 2 × 1.2 kg bone-in lamb shoulders

  • 1 ½ tbsp fennel seeds

  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 2 tsp fine sea salt

  • 2 large brown onions, peeled and thickly sliced

  • 750 ml dry white wine (or 700 ml water + 50 ml white or red wine vinegar)

Garlic Honey

  • 4 tbsp honey

  • 1 large clove fresh garlic, crushed or finely grated

  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Serves 10–14 (3 Shoulders)

  • 3 × 1.2 kg bone-in lamb shoulders

  • 2 ½ tbsp fennel seeds

  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 2 ½ tsp fine sea salt

  • 2 large brown onions, peeled and thickly sliced

  • 750 ml dry white wine (or 700 ml water + 50 ml white or red wine vinegar)

  • 250 ml water

Garlic Honey

  • 6 tbsp honey

  • 2 large cloves fresh garlic, crushed or finely grated

  • Freshly cracked black pepper


Method

Lamb Shoulder

  1. Add fennel seeds, garlic, and salt to a mortar and pestle. Roughly crush until the garlic is smashed and the mixture is fragrant.
    Tip: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, roughly chop the garlic and combine it with the salt and fennel seeds.

  2. Rub the salt mixture all over the lamb.

  3. Layer the sliced onion into a snug-fitting ovenproof dish with a lid. Nestle the lamb on top.

  4. Pour in the white wine (and water if using 3 shoulders).

  5. Cover with the lid and bake at 130°C/270°F for 5 ½ hours.

  6. Remove the lid, increase oven temp to 200°C/390°F, and roast for 20–30 minutes until golden and caramelised.

  7. Rest the lamb for 5–10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with warm garlic honey, and finish with flaky sea salt. Serve hot.

Garlic Honey

  1. In a small saucepan, gently warm honey, garlic, and black pepper over low-medium heat until garlic is fragrant.
    Don’t overcook — you want a warm, runny glaze, not a caramel.

Notes

  • Serving Sizes: Options included for 1, 2, or 3 lamb shoulders. Small tweaks make a big difference.

  • White Wine: Adds depth of flavour. Dry whites like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc work well.

  • Wine Substitute: Water + vinegar works if avoiding alcohol.

  • Three-Shoulder Version: Can use 1 litre wine instead of 750 ml + 250 ml water. Freeze leftovers in ice cubes for cooking.

  • Serve Hot: Best straight from oven, as lamb firms up when cool.

  • Leftovers: Reheat well or shred into flatbreads, pasta, or hearty salads.

  • Garlic Honey: Can be made ahead and gently rewarmed before serving.


Together, they make a spread that looks beautiful, tastes incredible, and takes the stress out of entertaining. Order your salads online and have them delivered chilled, ready to serve.

Bring It Together

This lamb shoulder, with its golden crust and drizzle of garlic honey, is already a showstopper. But paired with our vibrant, ready-made salads, it transforms into a complete feast — colourful, abundant, and effortless.

Skip the stress, keep the joy, and serve up a spread your guests will remember.

👉 Shop the featured ready-made salads here »

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