Recipes
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH MINT PISTOU - By chef Pete Evans
Cooking time: 3 ½ hours
Serves: 4
Allergens: nuts
INGREDIENTS
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil (you can also use good quality fat if you like such as, duck fat, lard or tallow)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
5 cups Chicken Bone Broth or water
8 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
Mint pistou
1 large handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 large handfuls of mint leaves
40 g (scant ⅓ cup) pistachio nut, toasted
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTION
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Season the shanks with salt and pepper.
Melt the oil or fat in a large flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Add the shanks and brown on all sides for 5 minutes until golden, then remove from the heat.
Add the remaining ingredients to the dish and stir through.
Cover the dish with the lid, place in the oven and cook for 3 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.
Remove the shanks from the dish. Place the dish on the stovetop over medium–high heat and cook until the braising liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Return the shanks to the dish to gently reheat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the mint pistou, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the shanks from the braising liquid and place in bowls. Ladle over the veggie broth, then spoon some mint pistou over the top.
ITALIAN LAMB SHANK SOUP WITH VEGGIES - By chef Pete Evans
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 ½ hours
Serves: 6 – 8
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ lb lamb shank
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil (you can also use good quality fat if you like, such as duck fat, lard or tallow)
2 large onions, finely sliced
4 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 x 14.5 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
2 qt chicken broth, or water
2 zucchinis, halved lengthways and sliced
1.3 lb pumpkin, peeled, cut into ¾ inch dice
Zest and juice from half lemon
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
INSTRUCTION
Season the lamb shank with salt and pepper. Heat the oil or fat in a large saucepan over medium–high heat and add the shank. Brown on all sides, about 6 minutes, then remove from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and oregano to the pan and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes. Pour in the broth or water, then return the shanks to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium–low and cover with the lid. Simmer the soup for 1 ½ hours.
After 1 ½ hours of cooking, add zucchini and pumpkin, season with salt and pepper. Simmer for a further 40 minutes or until the meat is falling off the bone.
Remove the lamb shank from the stew and when the meat is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and shred or chop the flesh. Return the meat to the pan and stir through the soup. Adjust the seasoning and stir in the lemon juice.
Ladle into warm bowls and sprinkle with parsley and lemon zest to serve.
LAMB RAGU WITH PARSNIP PAPPARDELLE - By chef Pete Evans
On a cool winter’s evening, nothing can be more comforting and warming than a slowly cooked lamb ragu. Here, we embrace real food and serve the ragu with a parsnip pappardelle. This bowl of goodness will make you feel calmly content.
Prep time: 10 min
Cooking time: 3 hours 15 min
Serves: 4
Allergens: Chili
INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil (you can also use good quality fat if you like such as, duck fat, lard or tallow)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
2 lamb shanks
1 cup red wine (such as shiraz)
2 cups beef or chicken bone broth or water
2 x 14 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 parsnips, spiralized into ribbons
lemon-infused extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
INSTRUCTION
Increase the heat to medium–high and add the remaining coconut oil or oil in the pan. Add the lamb shanks and cook for 3 minutes on each side until browned. Pour in the wine, bring to the boil and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan, add the broth or water, the tomatoes and chili flakes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 3 hours until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the shanks from the sauce, and once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone. Shred or chop the meat and return to the pan.
Gently mix the parsnip ribbons into the hot lamb ragu and cook for 2–3 minutes until the parsnip is cooked through.
Arrange on serving plates or in a serving dish, drizzle over a little lemon-infused olive oil and sprinkle on some parsley.