Something for the weekend: Six easy slow cook Sunday dinners 

Winter dishes that are cosy, comforting and full of flavour 

Slow cook dinners that are fuss-free and full of flavour.

Lamb shanks with dill, turmeric and chilli

This is a handy way to cook lamb for just one or two people without the faff of roasting a whole shoulder or leg. Just adjust the marinade accordingly.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 3 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 3 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 hind lamb shanks

• 300ml beef stock

• For the marinade:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 medium-heat fresh long red chillies, thinly sliced (reserve some for garnish)

• 1 x 5cm cube of ginger, peeled and finely grated

• 80ml vegetable oil

• 2 tbsp ground turmeric

• 2 heaped tbsp chopped fresh dill

• 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds

• 2 tbsp crushed hazelnuts

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

• 4 good pinches of fine sea salt

• 2 good cracks of freshly ground black pepper

• To garnish:

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

• A handful of pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Put all the marinade ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine together well. You can also put this in a blender if you prefer.

3. Lightly score the skin of the lamb shanks using a small sharp knife in a criss-cross pattern, spaced 2.5cm apart. Rub the marinade all over the lamb, muttering, ‘It puts the turmeric on its skin or else it gets the hose again’ as you do.

4. Place the lamb shanks in a baking dish, casserole or a dish that you can cover tightly with tin foil. You need them to be well covered as they cook. Add the beef stock to the bottom of the dish or casserole and cover securely with the foil and/or a lid.

5. Roast the shanks in the oven for 1 hour, then reduce the temperature to 160°C and cook for a further 2 hours. If you want to nip off to the pub for a while, turn the oven down to 110°C and cook for 3 hours.

6. When you’re ready to serve, give the lamb a final dressing with the lemon juice and scatter the dill, mint, pistachios and reserved chilli on top.
   
   And For Mains is available now (€40) in-store at Michaels Mount Merrion, Little Mikes and Higgins Family Butcher, Sutton. For online and corporate orders, see www.andformains.ie

Slow-roasted shoulder of lamb

recipe by:Darina Allen

The flavour of lamb shoulder is sweet and juicy - slow-roasted and delightfully tender, this dish is worth the wait

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 20 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 shoulder of lamb (3.3-3.6kg) on the bone

• extra virgin olive oil

• salt

• freshly ground pepper

• For the gravy:

• 600ml homemade lamb or chicken stock

• roux, optional

Method

1. Score the skin of the meat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife. Sprinkle the meat with salt and freshly ground pepper and drizzle with olive oil, roast in a low oven 140°C in the usual way for 6-7 hours – this gives a delicious juicy succulent texture. Alternatively cook in a moderate oven 180°C for 2-2½ hours. Carve it into thick slices.

2. Serve with light gravy. To make the gravy, spoon the fat off the roasting tin. Add the stock into the remaining cooking juice. Boil for a few minutes, stirring and scraping the pan well, to dissolve the caramelised meat juices – I find a small whisk ideal for this. Allow to thicken with a very little roux if you like.

3. Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary. Strain and serve the gravy separately in a gravy boat. Serve with new potatoes and a garden salad with edible spring flowers.