We’ve had some rather icy weather this week but there is no reason why comfort food should be bland and boring. I love experimenting with flavours, colour and textures to keep my winter dishes interesting.
Next time you make lamb shanks, why not add al dente vegetables at the end, or have a bread and tomato salad soaked in delicious Italian dressing with some steamed fish.
Enjoy trying out these winter warmers on your friends and family.
Recipe| Bread and tomato salad (Panzanella)Serves 4.
Time: 10 minutes prep plus at least one hour to marinate
Ingredients
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 loaf day-old bread, torn into chunks
1 medium cucumber, peeled and deseeded
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
55g capers, rinsed and drained
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
125ml olive oilSalt and black pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least an hour and up to 12 hours. Do not refrigerate.
Serve at room temperature, garnished with parsley.
TIPS:You can have this delicious salad on its own or serve as an accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken breasts.
Braised Lamb ShanksIngredients
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 ½ cup diced carrots
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tablespoons oil
6 medium lamb shanks
1 cup flour
1 cup dry red wine4 cups beef stock
Salt and pepper
Finely chopped parsley for garnish
Method
Add onion, garlic, carrots, tomato paste and thyme to a 6.5 L capacity slow-cooker. Season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine.
Pat lamb shanks dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and shake off any excess. Over medium-high heat, warm oil in a large pan. Brown shanks all over (working in batches if necessary); turn off heat and add lamb to the slow-cooker. Add the cup of red wine to the still-hot pan to deglaze; use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Add the wine and beef stock to the slow-cooker. Set on low for 10 hours.
When done, use a spoon to skim off any fat floating on the surface and discard. If desired, thicken some of the braising liquid to make a sauce. In a medium pot over medium heat, melt two tablespoons butter. With a wooden spoon, mix in three tablespoons flour and cook two to three minutes. Add a cup of the braising liquid in a steady stream, stirring or whisking, into the flour mixture. Slowly pour off more of the liquid into the saucepan, and heat to a simmer until reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. Return to the slow cooker to keep warm if needed. Serve the lamb shanks with the sauce, veggies and lots of ground pepper.
Tips:Depending on your slow-cooker, one hour on high should equal 2-2½ hours on low. If you don’t have a slow-cooker you can make this recipe in an oven-proof casserole dish: start on the stove (brown the veg mixture after browning the meat and pouring off most of the fat) and braise, covered, in the oven for about three hours at 180°C.I prefer the slow-cooker because you can just put everything in and be off to work and by the time you come back you will have a delicious supper ready.
Bread and butter pudding with berriesServes 4
Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
12 slices of white bread, crusts removed
125ml soft butter
2 cups frozen berries
For the custard
2 cups of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 jumbo eggs
125ml caster sugar
Icing sugar for dusting
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Butter bread and cut each slice into triangles. Layer slices in a medium-sized ovenproof dish or four individual ramekins. Scatter some of the frozen berries on the puddings, allowing the berries to drop in between the slices of bread. Mix all the custard ingredients and pour over the bread. Allow puddings to stand for about 10-15 minutes before baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with drizzles of fresh cream. This is a real hug-in-a-bowl!
Tips:A nice variation is to use all-butter croissants in the place of bread. These give a lighter texture to the dessert.For a citrus version you can do croissants with orange marmalade and not use the berries, instead garnishing with candied orange.