Herb and Spice Day recipe: slow cooked lamb shanks with mash pot pies

Tucked in between Donald Duck Day and German Chocolate Cake Day, sits Herb and Spice Day – on 10 June. In celebration, Cape Herb & Spice teamed up with renowned Chef Alex Torrão to develop a deliciously spicy Slow Cooked Lamb shanks with Mash Pot Pies recipe. Here you go!

Slow Cooked Lamb shanks with Mash Pot Pies

Prep time: 30 minutes 

Cooking time: 3 hours 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Shanks:

1 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Louisiana Cajun Rub

1 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Peri Peri Rub.

1 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Atlantic Salt Sea Grinder

1 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Black Peppercorns Grinder 

1 Tbsp Cape Herb & Spice Paprika 

1 Cup Olive Oil

5 Garlic Cloves

4 Lamb Shanks 

1 White Onion (roughly chopped) 

2 Carrots (roughly chopped)

1 Can Tomato Puree or Passata 

2 Sticks Celery (roughly chopped) 

2 Fresh Bay Leaves 

2 Sticks Fresh Rosemary 

500ml Beef Stock 

250ml Red Wine 

Potato Pot Pie:

4 Large Potatoes or 6 Medium Potatoes

1 Sheet Puff Pastry (at room temperature)

1 Egg (beaten)

100g Butter 

75ml Cream 

1 Tsp Cape Herb & Spice Atlantic Salt Sea Grinder

1 Tsp Cape Herb & Spice Black Peppercorns Grinder 

1 Tsp Cape Herb & Spice Louisiana Cajun Rub

Image: Megan Paulse

Method 

Lamb Shanks:

1. Pre heat oven to 200℃ (woodfired – or gas pizza oven can also be used)
2. Generously drizzle the lamb shanks with olive oil. Apply Cape Herb & Spice Paprika. Cape Herb & Spice Louisiana Cajun Rub and Cape Herb & Spice Peri Peri Rub until the shanks are evenly covered. Add some Cape Herb & Spice Atlantic Sea Salt and Cape Herb & Spice Black Peppercorns.
3. Heat a pan and sear shanks evenly on all sides, roughly 3 minutes per side. This can be done over an open fire, gas, or electric stove. Set the shanks aside in a deep-dish oven tray.
4. Using the same pan, drizzle a little more olive oil and add your white onion, crushed garlic, carrots, celery, and aromatics (bay leaves & rosemary). Cook until onions and celery are soft.
5. Pour wine onto the pan and cook off the alcohol, followed by adding the tomato puree. Pour the mixture over the shanks, and finally pour over your beef stock.
6. Cover with aluminum foil, twice.
7. Put the tray in the oven, reduce the temperature to 160℃ and leave for 3 hours. 
8. After 3 hours, remove from the oven and slightly open. Pour juices/sauce through a sieve into a saucepan and reduce by half.
9. Set aside the reduced sauce to serve with the lamb shanks.

Image: Megan Paulse

Mash Pot Pies:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into quarters.
2. Boil in salty water until soft or until a knife can penetrate the potatoes easily. 
3. Strain excess water and add cream & butter. Mash together with potatoes until smooth.
4. Add Cape Herb & Spice Atlantic Sea Salt, Cape Herb & Spice Black Peppercorns and Cape Herb & Spice Louisiana Cajun Rub to taste if required.
5. Divide mashed potatoes into 4 ramekins.
6. Roll out puff pastry and cut 4 equal squares slightly larger than the diameter of the ramekins. 
7. Gently cover the ramekin with the puff pastry and press the pastry on the sides of the ramekin.
8. Use a knife or toothpick cut a diamond pattern on the surface of the puff pastry and gently brush with egg wash.
9. Bake in oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Serving suggestion 

Add the lamb shank and pour the sauce over so that it creates a bed for the lamb shank to sit in.  You can serve the Mash Pot Pie on the side.