IN COLD weather, there’s nothing like a hearty dish that will warm the very core of your soul and body – it’s good mood food as it were. So here’s a super braised lamb shank dish that when served with a rich Cote du Rhone Villages, crusty bread and good company, there’s nothing better. It’s a winter warmer to lock yourself away with. So here’s what to do.
WHAT YOU NEED
For the braised lamb shank
2 lamb shanks
6 cloves garlic
6 sprigs rosemary
1 large onion
2 flat mushrooms
1 carrot
1 large leek
2 sticks celery
1 litre lamb stock
1 bottle red wine
50g butter
1 sprig thyme
For the parsnip puree
3 large potatoes (Maris Piper if possible)
2 large parsnips
300ml milk
Knob of butter
Black pepper and Salt
For the Dauphinoise
1 small head of celeriac
1 onion
Small block of mature Cheddar, grated
Black pepper
200ml single cream
200ml lamb stock
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
For the vegetable accompaniments
8 baby carrots with stalks on
2 spears asparagus
50g green beans
2 leek leaves
WHAT TO DO
Pre heat oven to 180degC. With a sharp knife, deeply score the meaty part of each shank 3-4 times. Slide in slivers of garlic and rosemary spears into the cuts then season. Roughly chop the onion, mushrooms, carrot, leek, and celery and put into an ovenproof casserole dish.
Add the lamb stock and red wine. Place the lamb into the dish and cook for two and half hours. Mix butter and thyme together and refrigerate.
Prepare two of the potatoes and parsnips and boil them in half milk and half water until soft.
Mash together with a knob of butter, salt and pepper, then take a hand blender and turn to a puree.
With a slicer, slice the remaining potato and celeriac and grate an onion. In a dish, layer the potato, Cheddar cheese, onion, black pepper, celeriac and repeat until you reach the top. Add the cream, lamb stock and seasoning. Top with grated Parmesan and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Take the meat out of the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Strain the stock into a pan and reduce to the desired consistency. Steam the baby carrots with the stalks on.
Steam the green beans and asparagus and when cooked, brush the thyme butter over the vegetables.
TO SERVE
Place a spoon of parsnip puree in the middle of the plate with the Dauphinoise to one side, vegetable parcels & carrots on the other side and then shank on top of the puree. Pour the reduction over the shank.
