If you live in the Western Cape (or are about to hit our shores for a visit - hello Granny Hen ) then you will (or soon will) know that we are experiencing a long snap of winter weather...it is driving some people crazy!! Each time we think it is over and Spring will return the next cold front rolls in over the Atlantic. I keep looking out of the window when I see a bit of watery sun and sure enough.....there is the next cloud bank blowing in from Kommetjie with the north westerly gale....aijaijai!! But, having said that........ the perfect weather for some heat in the kitchen & some serious comfort cooking (& eating of course.....) I was in our local supermarket the other day and found some stunningly large juicy looking lamb shanks that had my name stamped all over them in bright blue ink.  I made the tastiest lamb shank dish that we have enjoyed over two days.......the aromas of that, together with the cinnamon and fruity smells of my baking Christmas cakes must've been enough to drive my neighbours to distraction hehe... 

Serves 2

2 Lamb Shanks

2 Onions - chopped into small dice

1 Carrot – chopped into small dice
2 Celery Sticks – chopped into small dice

1 Punnet Baby Button Mushrooms – sliced

2-4 Cloves Garlic – peeled and finely chopped or grated
Good glug Olive Oil
Knob Butter

Fresh Thyme – few sprigs (I just popped the whole sprigs in)
1 Bay Leaf
2 Oranges - juice and finely grated zest
1 Lemon - juice and finely grated zest
3  Tomatoes – peeled and chopped (or 1 can tomatoes)
250 ml Red Wine (or Verjuice)
250ml Water or Stock
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper

½ tsp Ras El Hanout (or use a mix of cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cloves, cardamom & Star Anise)

Pinch Chilli Flakes

2 tsp Sugar

2 Potatoes – peeled and cubed into medium sized dice
Fresh Parsley & Mint – finely chopped

Heat oil and butter in large saucepan or deep frying pan, season then quickly brown the lamb shanks then transfer to a deep casserole dish with a lid, cover and set aside and keep warm (I baptised my new slow cooker!!)

Add the mirepoix (hehe I like that word – it means finely chopped up onion, carrot & celery) to the pan with a bit more butter & saute gently until limp and glazed – don’t let the veggies brown. Add the mushrooms and turn up the heat gently to sauté until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates

Add the thyme, bay leaf, garlic, tomato, wine, spices, chilli, citrus zest & juice and stock or water. Bring to the boil, add the sugar and lower heat to simmer for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180deg C

Pour the mixture over the shanks in the casserole dish and cover with its lid or use aluminium foil if you don’t have a lidded casserole. Cook for about 1 ½ hours then add the potatoes. Cook another hour or so until the meat is very tender and falling off the bone and the potatoes are cooked. (I did it all day in my slow cooker) I also added a few chopped dried apricots at this stage

Remove the shanks from the casserole and keep covered with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the sauce a bit by boiling on top of the stove if you think it is necessary. I prefer this method rather than thickening with flour

Add the zest and juice of another ½ orange (or lemon depending which citrus you want it to taste more of….)

Stir in the parsley and mint (keep a pinch or two for garnishing)

Serve the shanks (with the sauce) on a bed of rice, couscous, quinoa or garlicky mashed potatoes. Garnish with the last bit of chopped herbs.

A stunning meal. The lamb shanks that I bought at our local supermarket were so big that brownieboy and I shared one and had the other one last night. Even more YUMMY on day 2!!!

Now, I do hope the weather clears up otherwise Granny Hen, granny & Simon are going to complain bitterly, Jasmine is going to go on another wine drinking spree and Tyler is going to have a hissy fit of note (as will his parents hehe) It is his 6th birthday on Saturday (and his daddy's of course) and there are big plans afoot for a Ben 10 party......that includes a pinata that is proving very difficult to make in this damp weather teehee...and of course a Ben 10 cake that his granny has been commissioned to make...So wish me luck as you wave me goodbye :o)

Warm Wacky Wednesday hugs from a cold wet windswept Cape Town (can you say that 5 times very fast???)

browniegirl xxx

ps This editor is driving me more to distraction than all the bad weather in Cape Town....