braised lamb shanks with purée de pommes de terre

I have yet to meet a man whose worldly existence doesn't depend solely on meat.  I've read about them, seen them on television... but as yet no contact with this wonderful species has taken place.

So it happened that I found myself cooking for a brother who clearly would have rather been passed out on his lounge at home, not over at mine for dinner.  Cranky, tired and covered in that invisible smog of irritability that the city seems to impart on its commuters.

"Would you like a ginger beer ?"

"Euggh."

"How was your day ?"

"Yep."

Okay.  Mr. Grumpy Pants has come to tea.

Luckily I have two decades worth of brother baby sitting experience (although I'm sure he's much the same as every other little brother) and had something in the oven that would put that smile back on little Tommy's dial: lamb shanks.  I buy mine from Highland Farm Meats, a farmer-direct program, and the lamb is some of the nicest I've tasted - sweet, grass-fed and hormone-free.

This recipe is super-easy fool-proof - once your lamb is in the oven your job is pretty much done (unless yours also involves coaxing an eighteen-year-old boy into making decent conversation).  I've used vine-ripened tomatoes here, which give a lovely robust flavour to the lamb, however quality Italian tinned tomatoes are just as tasty.  The liquid component of the dish is up to you - chicken or vegetable stock, red or white wine, a combination of both... they all work.  The lentils soak up all of that beautiful cooking jus and really let the lemon rind and bay leaves (picked from my fledgling tree !) shine through and scent the dish.

Served alongside purée de pommes de terre (mashed potato) pureed with fruity, nutty olive oil instead of butter - who could wish for more ?

braised lamb shanks with purée de pommes de terre

serves 4

for the braised lamb shanks

2 tablespoons of olive oil

4 large French-trimmed lamb shanks (this allows the bone to become exposed during cooking)

2 leeks, trimmed, halved, washed, sliced (onions can be used instead)

2 large carrots, peeled and cubed

2 red capsicums, sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced

1 lemon

4 bay leaves, fresh or dried

a large pinch of mild paprika

6 large tomatoes, chopped roughly

3 cups of liquid chicken or vegetable stock (Vegeta powder is fine) or 2 cups of stock & 1 cup of red or white wine

1 cup dried red, green or brown lentils, washed

for the purée de pommes de terre

1kg potatoes - 4 large or 6 medium sized (I used Dutch Creams but Kind Edward, Royal Blue, Coliban & Golden Delight are also excellent mashed)

2/3 cup of warm water

2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

plenty of salt (potatoes can't get enough of it - season to your personal taste, I used two large pinches)

the braised lamb shanks

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (fan-forced).  
2. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan over high heat.  Brown the lamb shanks, careful not to overcrowd the pan, for a few minutes or until golden brown on all sides.  Set aside in a large roasting pan or casserole dish.
3. Turn the heat down to medium and add the leeks, carrots, capsicums and garlic, cooking until just tender.
4. Using a sharp knife or peeler, remove the rind in large strips from the lemon.  Turn these strips of rind over and trim off any of the white bitter pith from the underside (careful - I've witnessed many finger-slicing accidents in the kitchen from removing the pith).  Reserve the lemon flesh for later.
5. Add the lemon rind, bay leaves, paprika, tomatoes, stock/ wine and bring to the boil.
6. Pour this mixture over the lamb shanks, cover the roasting pan tightly with foil (or place the lid on the casserole dish) and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from the oven, take off the foil and add the lentils, stirring them through.  Replace the foil and return pan to the oven for one hour, by which time the meat should be tender and falling off the bone.  Finish a squeeze of juice from half of the lemon you set aside earlier.

 the purée de pommes de terre

1.  Bring a large pot of water to the boil and boil the potatoes (skins on) for 25 minutes or until the flesh can be effortlessly pierced with a knife.
2. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly.  Peel away the skins and pass the potato flesh through a potato ricer (looks like a large garlic press) or a drum sieve - if you have neither, use a fork or masher to puree the potatoes.  Whatever you do DON'T blend or whip the potatoes as this stimulates the gluten molecules and will make your mash sticky and tough.
3. Stir the mash over medium heat in a saucepan to dry the mixture out a little.
4. Add the olive oil and warm water and stir (don't whisk) until the purée is smooth.  Season with salt to taste and add more olive oil or water if needed.