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Lamb Shanks

Lamb Shanks

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Serves 4

Adapted from: CafeDelites

Tender fall off the bone Lamb Shanks braised in a deliciously rich sauce is your new family dinner recipe in an Instant Pot. The meat just slides off the bone!

Sauté:

  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 4-6lamb shanks trimmed of excess fat

Pressure:

  • 1large white onion diced
  • 6cloves garlic minced
  • 2large carrots sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ¼cup flour
  • 2cups beef stock
  • 1½cups red wine like Merlot, Pinot Noir, or a Chianti
  • 114oz can tomato sauce
  • 2TBS tomato paste
  • 1large tsp better than bouillon
  • 1tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
  • 2TBS fresh parsley finely chopped (divided)
  • 2bay leaves

Gremolata:

  • 2TBS chopped fresh mint
  • 1TBS (packed) finely grated lemon peel
  • 1TBS minced fresh green garlic or 1 garlic clove, minced

Vegetables:

  • 8oz slender baby carrots, trimmed, peeled
  • 8oz sugar snap peas, strings removed
  • 2TBS (¼ stick) butter
  • 3oz fresh pea tendrils


Sauté:

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add oil and heat until shimmering.

Wash and pat dry lamb shanks with paper towel. Season shanks with salt and pepper.

Sear two shanks in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Repeat with remaining shanks and oil.

Pressure cook:

Add all shanks to the pot. Sprinkle with flour, toss well and cook on SAUTÉ for a further 4-5 minutes to brown. Press KEEP WARM/CANCEL to stop the SAUTÉ function.

Add in the onions, carrots, wine, stock, tomato puree, tomato paste, garlic, bullion and herbs. Stir well, cover and seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 30 minutes.

After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 8-10 minutes. Turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the pressure.

Thicken sauce:

Change the Instant Pot setting back to the SAUTÉ setting stir well and allow the sauce to thicken uncovered, for a further 5-10 minutes.

Garnish with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, rice or noodles.

For gremolata:

Mix all ingredients in small bowl.

Do ahead: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

For vegetables: Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add carrots; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer carrots to bowl with potatoes. Add sugar snap peas to same pot; cook 1 minute. Drain. Add to bowl with carrots.

Do ahead: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Food Wishes

24-Oct-16 – You can substitute beef for lamb, if you must, but then it’s Cottage Pie.

For lamb/beef mixture:

  • 1TBS butter
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1diced onion
  • 2lb lean ground lamb/lamb
  • ⅓cup flour
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1tsp paprika
  • 1/8tsp cinnamon
  • 2tsp minced fresh rosemary
  • 3cloves minced garlic
  • 1TBS ketchup
  • 2½cups water or broth (use more or less to adjust thickness as needed)
  • 12oz bag frozen peas and carrots, thawed, drained well

For the potato topping:

  • 2½lb Yukon gold potatoes
  • 1TBS butter
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pinch of cayenne
  • ¼cup cream cheese
  • ¼lb Irish cheddar like Dubliner.
  • 1egg yolk beaten with 2 TBS milk


Preheat oven to 375°F.

Add olive oil and onion to Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meat, break up with wooden spoon while it cooks. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes to develop fond on bottom of pan.

Sprinkle on flour. Mix and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. While it’s cooking add salt and pepper, paprika, cinnamon, rosemary, garlic and ketchup. Stir in.

Add water, stir until quite thick. Cook for about 5-6 minutes.

Add the frozen peas and carrots, stir, cook. Add to baking dish, tap down and spread smooth.

Boil potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, add butter, salt and pepper, cayenne, cream cheese, cheddar. Mash until thoroughly incorporated.

Beat egg yolk with milk and stir into mashed potatoes.

Top meat in big spoonful’s of mashed potato. If you use fork to smooth, it will help crisp the surface.

Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes.