Simon’s Spanish Lamb Shanks
Serves 4
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 lamb shanks
2 sticks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 4 garlic cloves, peeled, minced 2 cups red wine
2 cups lamb stock
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
100g chorizo sausage diced 400g tin chopped tomatoes 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Preheat oven to 175C.
In a large casserole (with a lid) heat oil over medium-to-high heat. Brown lamb shanks on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove shanks and set aside.
Add celery, onion, carrot and garlic to casserole and saute until onion is translucent, approximately 5-6 minutes. Add wine, stock, paprika, pepper, salt, nutmeg, chorizo, tomatoes and thyme. Return lamb shanks to casserole pot, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cover and transfer casserole to oven for 2½ hours, or until the meat is just falling off the bones. Check, periodically: you may need to add more liquid during the cooking process — ideally, once the shanks are cooked you will be left with a third of the liquid you started with. (If you are using a slow cooker, cook on a medium heat for 6-7 hours.)
Once cooked, skim as much fat from the surface as possible and discard. Taste cooking liquid and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Angry Spanish Spuds
Serves 4
600-700g potatoes, cut in chunks 1 tsp smoked paprika
1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional) 2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves (whole, not peeled) Zest of ½ lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Preheat oven to 175C.
In a bowl large enough for all the potato chunks, add paprika, chilli (if using), tomato paste and oil. Mix to combine, then add potatoes and stir well, ensuring potatoes are thoroughly coated in the mix.
Transfer to a baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Squash garlic cloves in their skin with the back of a chef’s knife then add to potatoes.
Taking into consideration when your shanks (or whatever you are serving the potatoes with) will be cooked, start cooking the potatoes 30 minutes prior. Bake potatoes for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from oven then sprinkle over zest, drizzle over lemon juice and scatter over parsley.