Smoky Paprika Lamb Shank Parcels Recipes

BEAUTIFUL LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to full whack. Put the dried chillies, raisins and apple juice in a bowl, then set aside.
• Put the lamb shanks in a roasting tray, then rub all over with oil, sea salt and black pepper. Bang them in the oven for 20 minutes.
• As they're browning, peel and finely chop the onions, peel and finely slice the garlic, then halve and deseed the chillies.
• Get a casserole pan that will fit the shanks quite snugly - about 24cm in diameter and 10cm deep. Put it on a medium heat and add a lug of olive oil, the onions, garlic, fresh chilli, smoked paprika, bay leaves and rosemary. Leave to sweat for about 10 minutes.
• Once the onions have softened, put the rehydrated chillies and raisins into a food processor or liquidiser, along with any leftover apple juice, then blitz (feel free to sneak in a swig of red wine or bourbon here!) until you've got a paste. Stir this into your onions.
• Take your shanks out of the oven and turn the temperature down to 140°C/275°F/gas 1.
• Add the shanks to the casserole pan along with your tinned tomatoes and stock (if using) or equal amounts of water.
• Stir everything together, cover and put in the oven to stew for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone and the sauce is thick, topping up with water or stock as you go.
• Take it out of the oven, have a taste and season with salt and pepper and a dash of vinegar. Serve with steamed greens, mash, flatbreads, or whatever you fancy.

FIRE ROASTED BABY LAMB CHOPS WITH SMOKED PAPRIKA-ORANGE BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft. Add the orange juice and cook until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Then add the tomatoes, ketchup, paprika, coriander, sugar, honey and vinegar and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in the orange zest. Puree until smooth using an immersion blender. Remove 1/2 cup to serve with the cooked lamb. Let cool to room temperature.
• Heat the grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the lamb with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the chops on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, brush with some of the sauce, and grill another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a platter and serve with the reserved sauce.

SMOKY PAPRIKA LAMB SHANK PARCELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
• Place the paprika, salt and oil in a bowl and mix to combine. Rub the lamb shanks with the paprika mixture.
• Cut 4 x 30cm (12in) squares of non-stick baking paper and layer 2 sheets to make 2 squares. (We had to cut an extra larger piece to enclose the shank).
• Divide the onion, tomato, chilli, garlic, bay leaves and thyme between the paper and place in the centre.
• Top each square with a shank.
• Place the wine and brown sugar in a bowl and mix to combine. Divide between the squares.
• Bring the ends of the paper together and secure with kitchen string to enclose.
• Place the parcels on a large baking tray and roast for 2 hours or until tender.
• Place the parcels in bowls and open carefully, allowing the steam to escape. Top with basil leaves and sprinkle with lemon rind to serve.

EASY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add all the spice mix ingredients and mix to combine.
• Pat the lamb shanks dry and season with the spice mix on all sides.
• In a large Dutch oven pot like this one, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer the lamb shanks to a large tray or bowl for now. Carefully dispose of extra fat in a separate heat-safe bowl, and return the pot to heat.
• Now add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium-high, or until the vegetables gain some color. Add red wine, scrape the pot of brown bits. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit.
• Add the broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Return lamb shanks back to the pot; press down to submerge. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn heat off.
• Cover the pot and transfer to the 350 degrees F-heated oven. Cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours (It's a good idea to check periodically through cooking just in case you need to add a little more liquid. When the shanks finish cooking, the liquid will have reduced to about 1/3 of what it was when you started.)
• While the lamb shanks are cooking, prepare rice according to this recipe, or prepare 2-3 cups of orzo pasta according to package instructions.
• Serve the lamb shanks hot with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top of rice or orzo pasta. You might also like to prepare a side salad like this 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad or Fattoush. Enjoy!