4 lamb shanks, makes about 10 small pies.
Lamb shank is the tastiest part of a lamb. You may not agree, especially if you are a farmer and you are still feeding your farm dogs on them. But after seeing the prices of lamb shanks I guess you may change your mind.
If you are craving one, but know they are too costly for your family, here is a recipe that makes 4 shanks go a very long way, and will make many pies, or can be eaten as a slow cooked casserole with brown rice.
Lamb Shank with Prune and Orange Pie Recipe
GF (not pastry)
makes 10 small individual pies or you could make less and freeze leftover mixture and pastry.
4 lamb shanks
Coconut oil for frying
1 onion finely chopped
1 orange rind and juice
1 litre beef stock see my page on '' Stocks and Sauces ''
200 gr prunes
3 carrots peeled and cuts into small cubes
4 tb brown rice flour mixed with a small amount of water
Heavy base pot
Method
1 - In a large heavy base pot, melt coconut oil and brown each lamb shank all over.
2 - Remove shanks and turn heat down.
3 - Add more coconut oil to the pot and add onion, place lid on cook 3 mins or until soft.
4 - Add carrots, lid on cook 3 mins
5 - Add orange rind, juice, prunes and stock.
6 - Bring up to boil and add lamb shanks
7 - Turn the heat down and simmer with the lid on for 2 1/2 hours. Checking and stirring towards the end. The meat needs to fall off the bones easy.
8 - Remove meat and bones with tongs.
9 - Reduce the liquid to half with the lid off, keep stirring every now and then so it does not burn. Then whisk rice flour mix quickly so lumps do not appear.
Mixture should be thick for pies.
10 - Add meat, cool.
Pastry for 10 individual pies
500gr plain flour
400 gr butter
1 cup sour cream
Method
1 - In a food processor, place in all ingredients except the sour cream.
2 - Blend and slowly add the sour cream until mixture has formed a ball.
3 - Remove, place into a bowl, cover with glad wrap and rest in the fridge for 20 mins.
Making pies - grease tins with butter and flour them.
1 - Roll pastry into even size balls for the base and even size balls for the tops (they will be a little smaller.
2 - Roll out the bases to fit the pie tins.
3 - Place bases in the tins. Spoon cooled meat mixture into pastry so that it is 3/4 fill.
4 - Dampen with water the edge of the pastry and roll and lay the top on.
5 - Push together the edges and then pick holes with a fork on top.
6 - Brush tops with melted butter or egg yolk, this gives a golden crust.
7 - Cook for about 20 mins or until golden brown and the base is cooked.
8 - Leave in tins to cool. Reheat in tins before eating
For freezing, remove tins and sit the pies them on a tray in the freezer until frozen and then place in a bag. This way they will not break up.
