Method:
In a large food container mix all the ingredients for the lamb together,
cover and chill preferably overnight or for a minimum of 6 hours. Meanwhile
in a mixing bowl rub the suet, flour, salt and pepper together, begin
to add the water a splash at a time, thoroughly mixing until you have
a firm but pliable dough that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. With
wet hands roll the dough into 10-12 golf ball size balls, cover and
refrigerate until needed.
After either 6 hours or the day after pre heat your oven to gas 3/170
degrees, remove the shanks from the marinade (reserving all the marinade
because this will become your cooking liquor) to a clean tea towel and
dry thoroughly. In a large frying pan heat some vegetable oil or lard
until hot but not smoking, and brown the shanks all over and transfer
to a deep, wide saucepan or earthen ware dish big enough to hold all
the liquor and fit in your oven (or do it in 2 smaller ones). Now pour
the marinade into the pan back over the lamb shanks cover with a lid
or foil and transfer to the pre heated oven and cook for 3 - 3 and a
half hours.
After this time remove the cooking dish back to the hob and carefully
remove the lamb shanks to a plate or dish to rest up. Using the hob
bring the cooking juices left in the pan to a simmer and add the dumplings
and cook for 30 minutes, the dumplings should be floating, remove the
dumplings and add the lanb shanks and the dumplings back to the liquor
and either keep warm until required or refrigerate for up to 4 days
in which case the flavours will mature a little. Serve with either green
vegetables or crusty bread or even some mash potato, enjoy.
N.B this will freeze very well portioned in freezer food bags and either
boiled in the bag for about 25 minutes or reheated in the microwave
for about 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients:
For the Lamb:
7-8oz lanb shanks
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, cleaned and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, as they are with the skin intact
half a white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
Sprig of rosemary
Sprig of thyme
3 or 4 sage leaves
1 litre best you can get red wine (in the restaurant we use Cote de
Rhone)
half a litre water with 2 lamb stock cubes dissolved, allow to cool
before adding to lamb
For the Dumplings:
50g grated suet
100g plain flour
A good pinch of salt
half a pint of cold water (you may not need it all)
To Finish:
Lard or vegetable oil
Grfavy granules, about 150g, you may not need them all
Neil McCready.
