This dish looks as girly as can be—the bed of pink plums and rose petals makes it look like the set of a lingerie shoot or perfume commercial—but the flavors are grown-up and complex, and should appeal to both sexes.
For 4–6 for a festive blowout evening
1 lamb shoulder, on the bone
1 celeriac
2 heads of garlic
12 red plums
generous 1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp dried rose petals, plus more to garnish
2 large cinnamon sticks
2 glasses of white wine
chopped soft, fragrant herbs (cilantro/parsley/mint/chervil, etc.), to garnish
1 large onion
generous 1 tbsp ground cardamom pods (here)
2 heaped tbsp ground coriander
generous 1 tbsp dried rose petals
1 tbsp plus ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
2½ tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
Use a food processor or a pestle and mortar to purée the marinade ingredients together to a paste. Rub all over the lamb shoulder and leave to sit for about an hour at room temperature to allow the lamb and marinade to get acquainted.
Preheat your oven to 475°F.
Peel the celeriac and cut into chunky cubes. Break the garlic into cloves but don’t peel. Quarter 8 of the plums. Cut the remaining 4 plums into wedges, place in a bowl, sprinkle with the sugar and set aside till later.
Place the celeriac, garlic, quartered plums, rose petals and cinnamon sticks in a large, deep roasting tray and place the marinated lamb on top. Put the tray uncovered in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, by which time the lamb should have started to color and brown (it may take another 10 minutes if your oven doesn’t run very hot).
Pour the wine into the tray and leave to cook for another 15 minutes, then pour in enough water to reach halfway up the lamb joint. Cover the tray with aluminum foil. Lower the oven temperature to 400°F and cook for 1 hour.
Remove the roasting tray from the oven, baste the lamb with the liquid at the bottom of the tray, then re-cover and return to the oven. Reduce the heat to 350°F and cook for a further hour, basting halfway through this time and again when the hour is up. Then add the plum wedges that you kept aside and return the covered tray to the oven for the final 30–45 minutes. The meat should be falling off the bone.
Preferably serve in the roasting tray, with some rose petals and chopped herbs sprinkled on top of the lamb for show, and a mound of buttered rice or couscous alongside, to soak up the sauce.