Sitting in my office yesterday freezing my backside off, the idea of home-made lamb-shank pie for dinner made me feel all warm and happy inside. Inspired by a Karoo recipe, this is a serious slow-food winter warmer. Delicious!
What you’ll need:
1kg of lamb shanks
1 onion, chopped
5 baby carrots, chopped
6 large potatoes, peeled
5 springs of thyme
1tsp salt
40g (1 packet) brown onion soup
2 tsp Maizena
2 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp mild chutney
2 tsp condensed milk
1 tsp ground nutmeg
125ml milk
100ml red wine (plus extra to sip on)
2 bay leaves
Butter
Olive oil
Here’s how:
First pour yourself a glass of wine and expect to be blotto by the end of this if you keep filling it. Turn the oven on to 180 degress Celcius.
Heat up some olive oil and butter in a pot (enough to cover the bottom) and brown the onion. Seal the lamb shanks in a hot pan then place them in the pot with the onions and add a litre of boiling water. Take note: use a big enough pot otherwise the logistics can be tricky (ask me, I learnt the hard way. Guess what’s on my Christmas list?) Crack your bay leaves and add them with the sprigs of thyme to the pot and boil until the meat is tender (about 45 minutes).
While this is happening, peel your potatoes, chop into quarters and put on the boil until soft. Remove from the heat and drain, then mash. Add a healthy blob of butter and milk and keep mashing until smooth, then add the nutmeg and mix it in. Here’s a secret that I discovered last night that will turn your mash from mediocre to amazing Add two teaspoons of condensed milk and mix in well. It makes the consistency creamy and dreamy and adds that little something that makes people say, ‘Huh? There’s something different but delicious about this!’ I almost got into sms fisticuffs with my kitchen consult over this, but did it anyway. Just try it, I dare you!
(Do you still have wine in your glass? Time for a top up.)
Remove the shanks from the pot and cut the meat into small pieces, discarding any fatty bits you don’t want. Remember the yummy marrow inside the bone, it’s a real shame to let that go to the dog! Into the remaining liquid in the pot, add the salt, brown onion soup, carrots, wine, vinegar and chutney and mix well. Place the meat back in and put back on the heat to reduce a little. Sift in the Maizena to thicken your sauce, stir well then layer on the bottom of a baking dish. Top with you mash and pattern with a fork then bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 30 to 40 minutes.
If there’s anything left in the wine bottle, top up your glass and enjoy!
Yours in food
Leigh
