Entertaining can only be entertaining when things are simple. If it feels hard and stressful, I would argue we’re not doing it right. Because the joy of entertaining is in the “being” with the people we love, not in slaving away and having a conniption about the (insert really tricky food here) by yourself in the kitchen. No thank you!

Dining at fancy restaurants is for those tricky foods (unless that’s totally your thing and brings you joy). For me, the joy is in the relationships, so the food needs to be easy, so I can spend my time with the people I love. So here we have a wonderful recipe, where it’s the oven putting in the hours, not so much you!

The other key is to invest in good produce so the taste part is done for you too. If you can source salad greens that have been grown organically, in healthy soil and most importantly with love, all you’ll need to do it whack them together, add a bit of olive oil and some S&P on top. Easy and delicious!

Ingredients

For the Lamb

1 lamb shoulder around 2-2.5kg) – we buy ours from Hagens Organics and marinate for 24 hours+
5 sprigs rosemary
1 bunch 0regano
Zest of 2 lemons
¼ cup Olive oil
(you can add garlic too but we usually do ours without so that it’s fructose-free friendly

For the Pea, Zucchini + Pearl Couscous Salad

½ cup frozen peas
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced and grilled
250g pearl couscous
¼ bunch parsley
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
150g feta cheese, crumbled – we use Meredith Dairy

Method

To make lamb marinade, finely chop rosemary, oregano and add to olive oil and lemon zest. Rub into lamb, cover and place in the refrigerator (I let this marinate for at least a day).

Preheat over to 100ºC. Place lamb in a roasting pan and then roast, basting lamb occasionally, until meat pulls away (six to eight hours). Set aside to rest (30 minutes).

Cook peas in a saucepan of boiling salted water for two to three minutes; drain and set aside.

Cook pearl couscous according to packet instructions until tender. Meanwhile, combine two tablespoons olive oil with lemon juice. Drain couscous and mix with oil and lemon juice mixture. Allow to cool.

Combine peas, couscous and zucchini, season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with feta and parsley and drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve!

Wine supplied by Magnum + Queens Wine.

Slow-cooked roast lamb with couscous and greens salad. Pink napkin from I Love Linen. Photo – The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli. Styling Assistant – Ashley Simonetto.

Cassie Lucas’ slow-cooked lamb. Pink napkin from I Love Linen. Photo – The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli. Styling Assistant – Ashley Simonetto.

Lamb and salad for one! Photo – The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli. Styling Assistant – Ashley Simonetto.

Photo – The Design Files. Styling – Annie Portelli. Styling Assistant – Ashley Simonetto.