Instead of a lamb roast, why not try a hassle-free Lancashire hotpot? Using whole lamb shanks gives each guest a generous serving – and it looks fabulous on the table!
Serves 4
- Vegetable oil
- 4 x 200g (7oz) lamb shanks, French-trimmed (see tip below)
- Salt
- 6 small onions, peeled and cut in half
- 1 head of garlic, peeled and sliced
- 1 large swede, peeled and diced
- 85g (3oz) goat’s cheese, crumbled
- 2tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1tbsp cracked black pepper
- 1ltr (1¾pt) lamb stock, simmered until reduced by half
- 4 large turnips (about 200g each)
- 55g (2oz) butter, diced
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/ gas 3. Heat a splash of oil in a large casserole dish on the hob and season the lamb shanks with a pinch of salt. Lay two of the shanks in the dish and brown all over – this may take some time.
- Ask your butcher to French-trim the lamb shanks for you, or do it yourself by cleaning the bones of any fat or gristle with a sharp knife.
- Repeat with the other two shanks. Once they have all been seared, set aside, drain the fat from the dish and discard. Add another splash of oil to the dish and then add the onions and garlic with another pinch of salt to help them break down. Fry for 20-30 minutes until golden, then remove from the heat.
- Place the lamb shanks back in the dish over the onions, bones pointing up. In a bowl, toss the diced swede with the goat’s cheese, thyme and black pepper and pack around the lamb.
- Pour over half of the stock to cover the swede, then lay the sliced turnips neatly around the shanks, just leaving the bones exposed. Pour over the remaining stock and scatter with the diced butter.
- Roast in the oven for 1.5 hours with the lid on then further 1.5 with the lid off.