Tender lamb shanks with a creamy garlic mash
With two young, hungry boys there is nothing better than a wholesome meal of tender lamb shanks with a creamy garlic mash, on a cold winter’s day after school.
Serves 4
Tender lamb shanks
- 8 lamb shanks, Frenched
- 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock
- 500ml (2 cups) beef stock
- 250ml (1 cup) red wine
- 1 bouquet garni*
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- freshly cracked salt and black peppercorns
Creamy garlic mash
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
- 40g butter
- 125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
- milk, if required
- salt, to taste
- seasonal steamed vegetables, for serving
Preheat oven to 160C (140C fan forced).
Heat a large non-stick frying pan on high heat and cook shanks, in batches, until golden brown. Transfer shanks to a large, heavy based roasting dish. Add stocks, wine, bouquet garni, bay leaves, garlic, onions, rosemary and season to taste.
Cover dish and cook for 3 hours or until lamb is tender and falling off the bone. Discard bouquet garni and bay leaves.
For the mash, place the garlic bulb in the oven during the last hour of cooking the shanks and cook for 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Peel individual garlic cloves and set aside.
Place potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and return potatoes to saucepan. Add butter, cream, milk (if required) and roasted garlic, mash until smooth. Season with salt.
To serve, divide mash amongst serving plates and top with shanks. Drizzle with a little stock and serve with seasonal steamed vegetables.
*A bouguet garni can be purchased pre-made in sachets in the spices aisle. Alternatively, you can make your own - using twine, tie together 2 sprigs of parsley, one sprig of thyme and 2 bay leaves.
TIP: Strain leftover stock and refrigerate overnight. Remove solidified fat from stock surface and boil stock. Use stock in a risotto.
