[Red wine lamb shanks with herb mash]
Something fantastic has happened and I want to share it with you.
(Hint: the lamb shanks above have something to do with it).
Recently I discovered an excellent website called Butcherman. It’s a Sydney based company that started out providing top quality meat to restaurants and now also sell direct to the public.
I was so impressed by my first delivery that I called them to say a big thank you and ended up scoring a gig creating recipes for their newsletter and website. I’m quite chatty, especially when it comes to great produce, and this time it came in handy!
The newsletter is sent out monthly and July’s edition featured this succulent lamb shank recipe. Butcherman very kindly supplied me with the meat and I used it to create a warming winter dish.
And the best thing? This will happen every month! A little free meat for me, a delicious original recipe and photo for them.
Being a food blogger sometimes gets you little perks, but free meat each month definitely tops my list. Thanks Butcherman!
Happy cooking, Christie
Red wine lamb shanks with herb mash
1 cup plain flour
sea salt and black pepper
4 lamb shanks, frenched
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups full bodied red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 cup beef or chicken stock
2 bay leaves
For the mash
4 large Desiree potatoes, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup hot milk
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
sea salt and black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 180C.
Place the flour, salt and pepper on a plate and stir to combine. Roll each of the lamb shanks in the flour and shake off the excess.
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, deep heavy based fry pan. Add two of the shanks and brown on all sides. Set aside on a plate, then repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the other two shanks.
In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil, add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until just starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute further.
Add the wine, stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 2 minutes then remove from the heat.
Place the lamb shanks in a single layer in an oven proof casserole dish with a lid.
Pour the red wine mixture over the shanks, cover with the lid and bake for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until the flesh comes away easily but isn’t actually falling off the bone. Check once during the cooking time to make sure there is enough liquid. If becoming too dry add a little more stock or water.
Meanwhile, make the mash.
Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough cold tap water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with the hot milk, butter and herbs. Taste and season, then serve with the lamb shanks.
25 responses so far ↓
1 Tom Wainwright // Jul 6, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Yummm… thats noice Christie.
2 Helen // Jul 7, 2008 at 12:51 am
That is awesome!! Why oh why won’t someone do that for me?! I want free meat! I adore lamb shanks - the way the meat falls off the bone - delicious.
3 Maryann // Jul 7, 2008 at 12:52 am
Wow! Lucky you! Those shanks look amazingly delicious!
4 Peter // Jul 7, 2008 at 1:01 am
Sounds like a sweet arrangement…you won the laaaamb lottery!
5 Colleen // Jul 7, 2008 at 3:32 am
This looks absolutely amazing! And what a fabulous arrangement!
6 Laura @ Hungry and Frozen // Jul 7, 2008 at 11:48 am
That sounds utterly awesome, good on you! And I’m with Helen, why can’t I score a gig like that?! I love lamb shanks, that recipe sounds fab.
7 noble pig // Jul 7, 2008 at 1:32 pm
That sounds divine and aren’t you lucky to have such a great meat connection!
8 Diane // Jul 7, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Love it. I am a regular at butcherman and from their latest newsletter I’m now going to be a regular here!! I’m so excited about this new relationship that I can’t wait to make the lamb shanks myself! (Just hanging out for that delivery guy …..!)
9 Christie // Jul 7, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Hi Tom,
Thanks! It’ Noice, It’s Different, It’s unusual… hehe. A joke for the Aussies (or Kath and Kim fans).
Hi Helen,
Your time will come, I’m sure
Hi Maryann,
Thanks and thanks!
Hi Peter,
Very sweet, I certainly did win the lamb lottery!
Hi Colleen,
These shanks definitely make up for those chocolate pudding disasters
Hi Laura,
You’re in NZ aren’t you? The best ever lamb comes from there… you should hook yourself up!
Hi Noble Pig,
A meat connection - I like the sound of that. Hehe.
Hi Diane,
Wow - cool! Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you’ve received your delivery and will be tucking into some luscious shanks very soon.
10 Natty // Jul 8, 2008 at 3:01 am
Lovely lollipops of lamb! Alliteration!
11 Fearless Kitchen // Jul 8, 2008 at 3:33 am
This looks delicious, and we here in New England will be experiencing winter again far sooner than we’d like. You’re so lucky to have a service like Butcherman available!
12 Kevin // Jul 8, 2008 at 10:00 am
That lamb looks really good!
13 tangobaby // Jul 8, 2008 at 11:28 am
Oh my goodness. I really feel like I could never replicate this! But I sure would enjoy eating it.
Congrats on your free meat. That is some sort of incredible little windfall!
14 Sophie // Jul 8, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Sounds amazing…if only I can bring myself to eat lamb! My hubby has been asking me to make him a lamb-centered dish, and I certainly think he’d approve of this meal :).
15 jmez // Jul 8, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Looks tasty… But I prefer my shanks to be at least 4 times the size. So when i finish I can hold the bone in the air, take a gulp of beer and proclaim victory! Imagining one self as a viking helps
16 Christie // Jul 8, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Hi Natty,
Nice!
Hi Fearless Kitchen,
Well I hope it’s not cold too soon, but if it hits then give these shanks a try. They’ll certainly warm you up.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks!
Hi Tangobaby,
Nonsense. I’m certain you’d be able to whip these up. They’re really easy, just take a bit of time in the oven.
Hi Sophie,
No lamb? Oh no! Maybe your hubby could give these a try…
Hi Jmez,
Well, that’s nice and masculine isn’t it? Not sure about beer with these shanks - maybe a rich glass of red instead.
17 Dragon // Jul 9, 2008 at 10:14 am
I don’t know what I’d do without my butcher. I totally get it. Those lamb shanks look divine.
18 Hunk o’ meat. « FP Daily // Jul 10, 2008 at 1:59 pm
[…] Top Posts Cat Cora & an FPD Giveaway!SubmitPico de gallo.AboutSouth Brooklyn PizzaStrawberry pie.Fried Chicken SandwichCool as a Cucumber (and Watermelon) SaladThe Perfect Crispy Fish SkinI could eat this for breakfast every morning. Hunk o’ meat. July 9, 2008, 10:58 pm Filed under: Fig&Cherry | Tags: happy meat, herbacious, let’s cook with alcohol and get drunk while we’re at it, yabba dabba do! Figs & Cherry teams up with The Butcherman to give us red wine lamb shanks with herb mash. […]
19 What to do with...LEMONS | Fig & Cherry // Jul 15, 2008 at 10:26 pm
[…] of chopped lemon zest, garlic and parsley to make gremolata. Serve sprinkled over osso bucco, lamb shanks, grilled fish, risotto or chunky […]
20 Grace // Jul 17, 2008 at 5:20 am
For the mash, what if you tried lovage instead of flat leaf parsley? Lovage is also known as Maggi plant. It goes amazingly well with potatoes.
21 Christie // Jul 17, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Hi Grace,
I’ve never eaten lovage - though I’ve read a lot about it. If I ever come across it then I’d definitely give it a try in this mash recipe - thanks for the tip!
22 A Few Recipes From Around The Blogosphere: With wine pairings! | Food, Wine, Baltimore // Jul 18, 2008 at 3:40 am
[…] From FigandCherry.Com: Red wine lamb shanks with herb mash […]
23 Lisa // Aug 14, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Hi Christie,
I’ve been perusing your blog…which i think is fantastic btw…and came across this delicious recipe. I live on a remote sheep station in SA and really appreciate different ways to cook lamb!!! I have a couple of shank recipes but am excited to try this new one as i’m sure my family will be too! ;-P
24 Christie // Aug 15, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Hi Lisa - Welcome!
So glad you’ve been enjoying my blog. Wow, a never ending supply of fresh lamb - I’m jealous!
Let me know how you go with the shanks, they are really easy to do and would be magnificent with the fresh produce you’ve got.
25 Rachel 'Tha Pizza Cutta' Joyce // Oct 10, 2008 at 3:43 am
Wow! This dish is so incredibly close to my lastest post of merlot lamb shanks, roasted asparagus and parsley mashed potatoes. I guess great minds think alike but the difference is, yours turned out much better than mine!!
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