Lamb Shank Soup

On a cold winter’s night what you really need is a soup so thick that it’s almost a stew, and this lamb shank recipe really fits the bill.

Make as much as you like, it freezes well and the family will come back for more. Start the soup off the night before you intend to eat it but don’t be put off by the two stages of cooking. It’s very easy to do.

My basic recipe is for four people, but you could stretch it to six just by adding more vegetables. Here’s what you do:

Stage 1

Preheat the oven to 100°C, 200°F (that is not a misprint)

Drain the cranberries. If you are using fresh cranberries add half a cup of vegetable stock.

Put the lamb shanks in a roasting dish, pour the cranberries over the top of them, cover closely and leave in the oven overnight – about 12 hours.

The next day let things cool down slightly, then remove the lamb shanks and strip all the meat off the bones, discarding any excess fat and sinew. Shred coarsely and set aside.

Push the juices in the roasting tin through a sieve, pour half a cup of boiling water through the sieve to collect any remaining flavor and set the strained liquid on a high heat to reduce by half.

Stage 2

2 potatoes
2 carrots
2 onions
1 turnip or swede

Bring these to the boil in 750mls of vegetable stock and simmer until tender. Add a teaspoon of fresh thyme and 2 teaspoons of chopped mint.

Stir in the reduced sauce and the shredded meat. Heat through. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Just before serving, stir in one can of drained garden peas.

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