All About Food: Cheaper cuts to get your through January

Welcome to all about food. This week I continued to make the most of Seville oranges by adding Orange & Ginger Marmalade to the gingergirl range. The warmth of the ginger combined with the wonderfully tart oranges makes this a very special marmalade, guaranteed to bring sunshine to your breakfast table in this cold, grey weather.

Thankfully February is almost here; this month does promise some colour with forced rhubarb, purple sprouting broccoli, green and purple chicory as well as parsnips and leeks all coming into season. Also it’s no wonder oysters are associated with Valentine’s Day as this food of love comes into season now.

Ask Gingergirl

Hi Gingergirl,

I really enjoyed your recipe some time back using cheaper cuts of meat and would like to add some more to my collection. Lamb and pork are both favourites in our house. What do you recommend?

Best Regards,

Maura

Hello Maura,

I am a big fan of cooking with cheaper cuts and, as I have often mentioned before, I am an even bigger fan of using one of our many excellent Craft Butchers. When cooking with cheaper cuts of meat the general rule is to cook the meat at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Such cooking techniques give beautifully tender meat that simply falls away from the bone. Lamb shank is an excellent example, cooking on the bone adds to the flavour and tenderness.

Slow roast lamb shank

Olive oil

2 lamb shanks

6 shallots, peeled and halved

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary chopped

250ml of vegetable stock

250ml of red wine

Preheat the oven to 160ºc. In a roasting dish or casserole heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, seal the lamb on all sides allowing the meat to brown slightly. Add the onions, garlic, herbs and fry for a further minute.

Pour in the stock and red wine and season. Cover the dish and place in the oven for two hours, turning the lamb half way. Once cooked, remove the shanks and cover with foil.

Place the dish on the hob and boil the liquid until reduced by half or until a thicker consistency is reached. Add the lamb shanks and serve. Serving the lamb with mashed potato ensures you get to enjoy the wonderful meaty sauce.

Contact Gingergirl

www.gingergirl.ie

email: helen@gingergirl.ie