Lamb shank curry soup

Tags

comfort food, curry, Lamb, lamb shanks, puff pastry, Soup, stew

This is a very hearty and tasty soup which is made extra special as it is hidden under a blanket of crispy, fluffy and buttery puff pastry with just the shank bone peeking out. The smell of the spices when you break the crust is simply amazing. This is a recipe that lends itself very well to you playing around with the quantities to suit your taste, more curry, less curry, more liquid or more stewlike.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
4 lamb shanks
1 heaped tablespoon curry powder (depends on your preference-I use 2)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 cm / 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1¼ L / 5 cups good beef stock (homemade is best)
1 lemon cut in half
1 large apple, peeled and sliced (granny smith works well)
700g / 1½ lbs baby potatoes, quartered
2 rolls of ready puff pastry
Fresh cilantro/coriander roughly chopped
1 beaten egg

Method:
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F
Melt the butter over medium high heat in a large ovenproof dish with a lid
Add the lamb and brown the shanks on all sides
Place the lamb on a plate
Reduce the heat to medium low
Add curry powder and cook while stirring for 1 to 2 minutes
Add oil, onion, leeks, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 minutes
Add the thyme, rosemary, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, beef stock, lemon and apple and stir well
Return the lamb to the dish and bring to a boil
Cover with a lid and place the dish in the oven for 2 hours
Add the potatoes and check if enough liquid – you can add a bit of hot stock if needed
Cover and return to the oven for another 45 to 60 minutes
Remove dish from oven and increase the temperature to 200C/400F
Portion the soup into 4 ovenproof large soup bowls discarding the lemon and place 1 shank in each with the bone sticking up
Sprinkle on some fresh cilantro
Unroll your puff pastry and cut out 4 circles a bit larger than the tops of your bowls
Brush some beaten egg on the rim of your bowls and place the pastry over the bowl allowing the bone to poke through the top
Press with your fingers on the edge of the pastry to help the pastry stick to the bowl and seal the edges
Brush the tops with the remaining egg
Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes until golden
Serve immediately
Bon appétit !

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Turkey Osso Bucco

Tags

gremolata, osso bucco, stew, Turkey

Slowly cooking the turkey in wine for a few hours gives the delicious melt in the mouth texture and buttery rich textures that one usually associates with a traditional veal Osso Bucco yet it is a healthier version. Be sure to use turkey legs for this recipe. You can use whole drumsticks or thighs or ask your butcher to cut it into pieces for you. My butcher sells turkey legs already cut into rounds for this very purpose – very handy.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 turkey pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves

Gremolata:

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180C / 360F
Pat the turkey with paper towels to dry and ensure even browning
Dredge the turkey in the flour to coat and shake off any excess
In a large dutch oven or casserole dish, heat the oil over medium high heat
Add the turkey and cook until brown on both sides
Transfer the turkey to a plate and set aside
In the same pan, add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until golden brown
Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes
Add salt and pepper
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute
Pour in the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes
Add the herbs and place the turkey on top on them in a single layer
Add enough chicken broth to come 2/3 up the sides of the turkey
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat
Cover with a tightly fitting lid
Cook until the turkey is fork-tender, about 2 hours, turning the turkey after 1 hour
Season to taste
Meanwhile, for the Gremolata:
Combine the chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a bowl
Cover and reserve until serving the turkey
To serve: Sprinkle each piece of turkey with a large pinch of Gremolata
Serve immediately
Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beef short ribs in red wine and port

Tags

Beef, beef short ribs, braising, port, stew, wine

Beef short ribs are an inexpensive yet delicious cut of meat. They are richly marbled and need to be cooked long and slow to bring out the exquisite tenderness and flavour. The addition of port to the dish brings out a beautiful richness. It is a perfect recipe for a dinner party as it can be made ahead of time. The ribs are a natural with mashed potato or pasta.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 short ribs, each with a bone
2 tablespoons oil
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 carrots, sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
Bouquet garni
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bottle fruity red wine
2 cups ruby port
4 cups / 1 liter beef bouillon
Parsley, roughly chopped as garnish

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 160C / 325F
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat
Season the short ribs with salt and black pepper
When the oil is hot, brown half of the short ribs until well caramelized on all sides, about 10 minutes
Transfer the ribs to a platter and repeat with the remaining short ribs
Remove and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and reduce the heat to medium
Add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes
Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer
Stir in the flour and continue to cook, stirring, for 3 minutes
Add the tomato paste
Add the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping to release any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom
Pour in the port, stock, and bouquet garni, adjust the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil
Return the short ribs to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, then cover the pan and place it in the oven
Cook until the meat is fork-tender and beginning to pull away from the bones, basting the ribs occasionally with the braising liquid, 2 to 2 1/2 hours
Transfer the ribs to a large platter, discard any loose bones, and cover the ribs to keep them warm.
Skim the fat from the top of the braising liquid and discard
Gently strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, carefully transferring the vegetables from the pot to a platter
Discard the bouquet garni
Return the braising liquid to a clean Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat
Simmer until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes
Season the sauce to taste
Return the meat and the vegetables to the Dutch oven and simmer briefly until heated through
Sprinkle with the fresh parsley
Serve immediately
Enjoy!