“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with them….the people who give you their food give you their heart” . Cesar Chavez

Hi there everyone,

Well with the weather at night still very cool,  this absolutely delicious Lamb Shank Cacciatora was such a winner.  You know I have often steered away from the shanks because I have found them too oily but I wanted to give this recipe a go because the sauce looked so very inviting.  The shanks are Frenched lamb shanks.  Now, as I have said a number of times, I am no chef, so please forgive my ignorance. Off I go to my favourite local butcher and ask for these “frenched” lamb shanks and when I got home and opened the packaging I couldn’t see any exposed bone like in the picture in the magazine.  So, I sent the MAV back there to gently complain only to be told that they were indeed “frenched” and the bone would reveal itself upon cooking.  How dumb did I feel?  Yep, very because low and behold the bones did reveal themselves. (In this photo the bone is not exposed after browning)

Give all of this a go, the family will love it!  Until next week…….

From my table to yours with love!

Lamb Shank Cacciatora

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 250g each frenched lamb shanks
• 1/4 C plain flour
• 2 tbs virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 3 anchovy fillets in oil drained
• 2 onions
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley plus extra to serve
• 1 C red wine
• 4 Cs chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 lemon thyme sprigs
• 1/2 C pitted kalamata olives halved
• lemon zest

Method

 

1. Place lamb in a large bowl and dust with flour. Shake off excess. Heat oil in a large, deep, flameproof casserole over high heat. Add lamb and cook, turning, for 5-6 minutes or until browned all over.
2. Transfer lamb to a large plate. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add anchovies and cook for 1-2 minutes or until dissolved.
3. Stir in onion, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until onion is softened. Add wine and cook, scraping bottom of pan with a spoon, for 2-3 minutes or until reduced by two-thirds.
5. Stir in stock, tomatoes, bay leaves, lemon thyme and olives. Return lamb and submerge in sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 2-3 hours or until meat is very tender.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lamb to a plate. Increase heat to medium and simmer sauce, uncovered for 10-15 minutes of until thickened. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Divide lamb and sauce among bowls. Scatter over extra parsley and lemon zest, and drizzle with extra oil.

Notes

Source: From Delicious Magazine - June 2019

Bean Salad

Wonderful with the Lamb Shanks

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 C sherry vinegar
• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 lemon finely grated zest
• 400 g green beans blanched, refreshed
• 1/2 C flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 sml red onion thinly sliced
• 400 g can of cannellini beans drained and rinsed

Method

 

1. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic and lemon zest in a bowl and season. Add green beans, parsley, onion and cannellini beans, season and toss to combine

Lime Bavarois with Passionfruit Jelly

Best made a day ahead. Times do not include refrigeration time.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 egg separated
• 1 tsp castor sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 tsp castor sugar extra
• 1 tbsp self-raising flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 C castor sugar
• 1 C milk
• 1 tsp grated lime rind
• 1/2 C lime juice
• 2 1/2 tsp gelatine
• 300 mls thickened cream
• 12 passionfruit
• 1/4 C water
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tsp gelatine

Method

 

1. Grease and flour oven tray, mark 21cm circle on tray. Beat egg yolk and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until thick, add essence. Beat egg white in a small bowl until soft peaks form, beat in extra sugar, beat until dissolved.
2. Fold sifted flour into egg yolk mixture, gently fold in egg white mixture.
3. Spread mixture onto prepared tray, using circle as guide. Bake in moderate oven about 10 minutes or until sponge is cooked through. Turn sponge layer onto wire rack to cool. Trim sponge layer to fit into 20cm springform tin.
4. Pour lime bavarois over sponge layer in tin, cover, refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Pour passionfruit jelly over lime bavarois, cover, refrigerate several hours or overnight.
5. Beat egg yolks and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Heat milk in pan, bring to boil. Gradually beat hot milk into egg yolk mixture while motor is operating.
6. Pour mixture into pan, sir over low heat, without boiling, until custard mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in rind and 1/3 cup of the lime juice.
7. Sprinkle gelatine over remaining juice in cup, stand in pan of simmering water, stir until dissolved; pour into lime mixture; cover, cool, refrigerate 1 hour or until mixture is almost set.
8. Beat cream in small bowl until soft peaks form, gently fold into lime mixture. Pour over sponge layer, refrigerate several hours.
9. Remove pulp from passionfruit. Strain pulp, reserve juice snd seeds; you will need 1/2 cup juice and 1 tablespoon seeds.
10. Combine reserved juice and seeds in pan, add water and icing sugar. Bring to boil, remove from heat, add gelatine, stir until dissolved. Cool to room temp then pour over Bavarois and refrigerate several hours or overnight.