Port and chestnut braised lamb shanks with parsnip and stilton purée
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Kris Kirkham
Port and chestnut braised lamb shanks with parsnip and stilton purée
Enriched with familiar Christmas flavours, these tender lamb shanks in their rich, boozy sauce are a nice change if you fancy something different this year
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (serving)
Calories
1091Kcal
Fat
45gr
Saturates
20gr
Carbs
85gr
Sugars
31gr
Fibre
15gr
Protein
54gr
Salt
1gr
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 4 lamb shanks (about 300g each)
- 400g shallots, finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 5 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 400ml port
- 500ml lamb stock (made with 1 stock cube)
- 1 x 180g pack cooked whole chestnuts
For the mash
- 500g floury potatoes
- 500g parsnips
- 75ml single cream
- 100g Stilton
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 2. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium heat and brown the lamb shanks for 3-4 minutes until browned all over (you may need to do this in batches). Remove to a board, then add the shallot, celery, carrot, garlic and rosemary to the pan. Fry gently for 6-8 minutes until just softened. Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes, then sprinkle in the flour. Continue to cook for 1 minute, then pour in the port. Bubble for 1-2 minutes then add the lamb stock. Return the shanks to the casserole, ensuring the meat is submerged in the liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven for 2½ hours.
- Meanwhile, for the mash, put the potatoes in a large pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Add the parsnips, then cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes and parsnips are tender. Drain and return the vegetables to the pan, then set aside to steam dry for 1 minute. Add the single cream and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Crumble in the Stilton and stir to combine. Season well and keep warm until ready to serve.
- To finish the lamb, remove the casserole from the oven. Carefully lift the shanks out to a serving dish and cover to keep warm. Add the chestnuts to the sauce in the casserole and then simmer on the hob until the mixture has reduced slightly to a thick, saucy consistency. Season well and pour the sauce over the lamb. Serve with the mash on the side and any green vegetables of your choice.
