Johannesburg - As part of a series of columns, MasterChef SA judge Benny Masekwameng has created this recipe for readers of The Sunday Independent. Watch the series on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on M-Net at 7.30pm.
Braised lamb shank with mashed potatoes, lentils and vegetable ragout
Braised lamb shank
Ingredients
4 lamb shanks cleaned (450g each)
Half a cup of flour
2 onions (chopped into chunks)
2 celery sticks (chopped into chunks)
2 leeks (chopped into chunks)
3 carrots (chopped into chunks)
4 cloves of garlic
2 tomatoes (chopped into chunks)
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 tbs tomato paste
2 glasses of red wine
2 litre lamb/beef stock
Salt & pepper for seasoning
Method
Dust the lamb shanks in flour then brown in a hot pan with a little bit of oil. Add half the onion, celery and leeks and continue browning (5-8 minutes). Add garlic, tomato, rosemary and tomato paste and cook for a further 3 minutes. Deglaze with red wine for 3 minutes then add stock and season with salt and pepper. Allow to simmer for 2 hours. Add the remainder of the vegetables and cook for another hour (until the lamb shank is cooked). Taste to check for final seasoning. Serve with mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes.
Mashed potatoes
Ingredients
5 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
2 tbs butter
75ml cream
Salt and pepper
Method
Put potatoes in a deep pot and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are cooked and falling apart.
Using a colander, drain all the water then return the potatoes to the same pot (off the stove), mash the potatoes until fluffy, add butter and cream and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Lentil ragout
Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 cup lentils (washed and drained)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 tbs parsley (chopped)
1 tbs thyme (chopped)
Salt and black pepper
2 carrots (diced)
1 celery stalk (diced)
1 leek (diced)
Method
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the onion and garlic together in the oil for 5 minutes.
Add the lentils, stock, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the carrots, celery and leek and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Check for seasoning and adjust to your liking. - Sunday Independent