One question I get asked more times than I can remember is, “What do you eat at home?” It’s true, we chefs have a different relationship with food, but when we cook for our loved ones at home, we go for wholesome, generous, good food. And no, we don’t always make everything ourselves. This Italian inspired home cooked feast is one of my go-to dishes all year round. It’s a myth that stews and broths should be reserved for winter. No matter the time of year, sometimes all you need is a warm and hearty dish for everything to feel right again.
Potato Gnocchi and Caponata with Lamb Stew
Cooking Time: 4 hours | Preparation Time: 45 minutes | Serves: 4
for the lamb shank stew
650 g – 700 g lamb shank
30 ml Forage & Feast Cold Extracted Extra Virgin Olive Oil
15 ml tomato paste
4 medium carrots, cubed
10 baby tomatoes, halved
20 g sundried tomatoes
5 ml maldon salt
5 ml black pepper, ground
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 l beef stock
22,5 ml beef stew thickener
for the roasted baby tomatoes
8 baby tomatoes
30 ml Forage & Feast Cold Extracted Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 ml maldon salt
5 ml black pepper, ground
3 sprigs fresh thyme
for the gnocchi
500 g Forage and Feast Potato Gnocchi
50 g salted butter
30 ml Forage & Feast Cold Extracted Extra Virgin Olive Oil
to finish
190 g Forage and Feast Caponata
for the lamb shank stew
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C. Peel the carrots and slice them into 1 cm cubes. Heat a saucepan over high heat and add the olive oil to sear the lamb shank until deeply golden colour. Remove the lamb shank from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat and add the tomato paste to the pan, cook for a few minutes while stirring, the tomato paste will change into an orange colour. Add the tomatoes and carrots to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer everything to a cast iron pot and add the seared lamb shank, rosemary, thyme, and sundried tomatoes and cover with beef stock. Cover the pot with a lid, and place in the oven for 3 – 4 hours or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.
Remove the lamb shank from the cooking liquid and shred the meat. To avoid burning your hands, allow to cool down slightly before starting this process. Shred the meat by using two forks and gently pulling the meat apart. Place the shredded meat in a pan over medium heat and allow it to brown. Add 60 ml of the cooking liquid to deglaze the pan. Remove from the heat and reserve until needed.
Add the beef stew thickener to the cooking liquids reserved from the lamb shank, whisk until dissolved, and cook over medium heat until a thick sauce forms.
for the baby onions
Peel the baby onions and halve them lengthwise. Keep the root of the baby onion intact. Heat a medium saucepan over high heat, add the olive oil, and place the onions flat side down in the pan. Sear the onions until a charred and golden in colour. Add the water to the pan and allow it to cook until the liquid is evaporated.
for the roasted baby tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Slice the baby tomatoes lengthwise and place them on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, until slightly charred and roasted.
for the Forage and Feast Potato Gnocchi
Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. Heat a pan on high and add the olive oil and butter, once the butter has melted, add the gnocchi and fry until golden in colour.
To assemble
Place the gnocchi in the middle of the plate. Combine the shredded lamb and lamb sauce, and place on the gnocchi. Add a generous amount of Forage and Feast Caponata and arrange roasted tomatoes and onions on top. Serve immediately.