Lamb Shanks are perfect this time of year a ideal cut for a one pot wonder! As it's all things UK because of the diamond Jubilee & London Olympics. Here's a classic British recipe is inspired by the North of England based on the famous Lancashire hot pot! Make the cabbage a head of time & store leftovers in sterilized jars.
Ingredients and Methods
Ingredients:
Marinade:
- 750ml red wine shiraz or pinot
- 4 teaspoons of crushed juniper berry
- 4 sticks of cinnamon
- 1teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 cloves of garlic smashed
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 1 red onion roughly chopped
- 4 hind quarter lamb shanks
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
Sauce:
- 6 tablespoons corn flour
- 600ml red current jelly
- 300ml red wine vinegar
- 1.5L lamb stock
- 2 tablespoons corn flour
Garnish:
- Hot pot potatoes - see recipe
- Pickled red cabbage - see recipe
- Optional - 200g cooked small brussel sprouts or a combination of cooked peas, mint & broadbeans
Hot Pot Potatoes:
Ingredients:
- 1k Sliced onions
- 100g Shaved garlic
- 100g finely chopped rosemary
- Olive oil, unsalted butter
- 3k Peeled & thinly sliced Nicola potatoes
- 1lt Chicken stock
- Seasoning
Method:
1. Pre heat oven 180c
2. Gently cook onions, garlic & rosemary
3. Thinly slice potatoes reserving some neatly sliced potatoes for the base of the gratin
4. Combine the potatoes & onions together. Lightly season
5. Boil some chicken stock infused with rosemary
6. Butter a non-stick pans then spread a layer of potatoes & onions evenly
7. Take the reserved potatoes slices & arrange these on top of the mixed layers in a neat circular fashion overlapping, sprinkle with chopped rosemary, & nobs of butter add a little stock & bake in the oven till golden & crisp for 1 hr
8. Place a greaseproof circle on top then press down with a overturned plate.
9. To serve invert &cut like a cake or simply cut from the baking tin .
Pickled red cabbage:
Ingredients:
- 300g of very thinly sliced red no core cabbage
- 25g sea salt
- 200ml Merlot vinegar
- 125ml White wine vinegar
- 300ml Red Wine
- 1 Star anise
- 2 bay leafs
- 3 Whole cloves
- 1tsb Black peppercorns cracked
- 1tsb pink peppercorns
- 1 Brocken cinnamon quills
- 1 Heaped tablespoons chilli powder
Method:
1. Sprinkle the cabbage with salt leave for 2-3 hours
2. Rinse with water then drain well
3. Combine all the vinegars, wine & sugar
4. Bring to the boil & reduce by half
5. Dry roast the spices then grind in a spice grinder, then cover with the reduce vinegar mixture
6. Pour this over the cabbage ,toss together then cover with grease proof circle & press down with a weight, allow to pickle as long as possible before consuming
Lamb Shanks:
Method:
1. Combine red wine with spices and vegetables, place the lamb shanks in a suitable deepish casserole and pour the wine mixture over the top covering the meaty part of the shanks, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, refrigerate for 3-4 hours, not longer as the wine will overpower the meat. Pre-heat oven to 190°C.
2. Whilst that is marinating, combine vinegar and red current jelly bring to the boil and reduce by half add lamb stock and reduce by half once more, dilute the cornflour with a little water and whisk into the sauce till it just thickens set aside till required.
3. Now the shanks have been marinated remove from the marinade, pass the marinade through a sieve into a pot, bring to the boil & skim off all the impurities which rise to the surface until clear, in a separate pan heat some olive oil and fry off the shanks all over till well coloured, transfer the shanks bone facing up into an ovenproof casserole dish in the same pan you sealed the lamb shanks in two batches, fry the vegetables from the marinade also till nicely coloured, add the vegetables to the casserole then cover with the now clear wine and the lamb sauce, place a greaseproof paper circle on top with a hole in the middle, this allows air into the braise, thus causing no steam which will effect the reducing process which gives the braise its flavour.
4. Cook for 2 hours till the shanks are soft and gelatinous, remove the shanks, keep warm, pour the juices through a sieve and bring to the boil and simmer till they reduce a rich sauce, adjust seasoning.
5. To serve place your hot lamb shanks onto deepish individual serving bowls
6. Scoop out the potatoes & serve alongside with a generous twist of pickled red cabbage & lashings of lamb gravy
Chef Paul Wilson
Credited with serving some of Australia’s most exciting food, Paul Wilson has been described as one of the most extraordinary culinary talents in the Commonwealth & continues to receive critical acclaim for crafting inspiring dishes that take an innovative approach to cuisine traditions. (more)
