CELTIC FOODS
Lamb in Guinness With Colcannon
Slow braised Salt Spring Island lamb shanks in Guinness with wild mushrooms, colcannon potatoes and buttered spring carrots.
Serves 4
For the lamb shanks:
4 Salt Spring Island Lamb shanks (or any good quality lamb shanks)
Salt and pepper
Flour for dredging
1/3 cup olive oil
16 small pearl onions peeled
4 cloves of garlic peeled
2 celery stalks cut in 1inch dice
1 large parsnip peeled and cut in one inch dice
1/2 lb. of mixed wild mushrooms eg morels, chanterelles, pine
1 rosemary sprig
2 thyme sprigs
4 cups of Guinness
1 cup of beef stock
For the colcannon potatoes:
11/2 lb. King Edward potatoes peeled and cut into large chunks
8oz. firm green cabbage very finely sliced
12 green onions trimmed and very finely sliced including the green parts
75ml whipping cream
75g butter
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the butter spring carrots:
1 large bunch of spring carrots peeled
1 teaspoon of chopped chives
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
To make the lamb shanks:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and dredge the lamb in the flour.
3. In a large skillet pan over a medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the lamb shanks
and cook on all sides until browned about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the lamb to a large four inch deep ovenproof dish, then in the same skillet you browned the lamb add the pearl onions, garlic, celery, parsnips, rosemary and thyme and season with salt and pepper, sauté for five minutes then add the vegetables and pan juices to the ovenproof dish with the lamb.
5. Now add the Guinness and beef stock and cover the ovenproof dish with tin foil and place in the pre-heated oven for 1 1/2 hours.
6. Take the ovenproof dish out. Now add the wild mushrooms and cover the dish again and place in the oven for another 1/2 an hour or until the lamb shanks are tender and falling off the bone.
To make the colcannon potatoes:
1. Place the potato chunks in a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and one teaspoon of salt. Put a lid on and simmer until tender around 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile melt one ounce of the butter in a frying pan and over a medium heat, sauté the cabbage for around three minutes until the cabbage is tender, then add the chopped green onions and sauté for one more minute.
3. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the saucepan, mash the potatoes using a potato ricer if you have one or you can use a fine potato masher.
4. Add the pinch of nutmeg, the cream season with salt and pepper and the remaining two ounces of butter. Now stir in the sautéed cabbage and green onions.
To make the buttered spring carrots:
1. Bring a medium sized pot to the boil with a large pinch of salt and place the carrots in the water for around four minutes.
2. Meanwhile melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat.
3. Drain the carrots from the water and place them in the pan with the butter and sauté for one minute, the carrots should look a vibrant orange. Now add the chopped chives.
To serve:
Take four individual large white main course bowls and place a large scoop of the colcannon in the middle of the bowls, now add the braised lamb shanks on top of the colcannon and generously spoon over the braising liquid making sure everybody gets the mushrooms and vegetables from the ovenproof dish. Place three to four carrots around the braised lamb shanks and garnish with a sprig of rosemary and enjoy
Cooking has always been a part of Irish-born Benedict Kiely's life and he picks up ideas and recipes everywhere he travels. He studied at culinary school in London and then worked in a five-star hotel in London Hyde Park. While travelling and working around Europe to gain knowledge and ideas, he met his Canadian-born wife-to-be in Athens, Greece. Five years ago he made a visit to Vancouver with his wife and loved it so much they decided to stay. Benedict says, "Celtic food is my roots and it has never left me, my wife and I recently took a trip back to Dublin and I was so impressed with the high standard of Irish food. They now have many Michalin Star restaurants which can compare to any restaurant in Paris!" Benedict is now the restaurant chef at Caffe de Medicci - a Derona Award restaurant.
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