dinner:

lamb shank and vegetable soup

Published 12th July 2017

Lamb shank and vegetable soup has been a soup that has been in my life since I was a kid, and it is awesome. It is so wholesome, nourishing and warming on a cold winter’s day. It freezes really well, and it keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. So, if you don’t have anything planned for lunch this weekend with the forecast looking bleak, add these ingredients to your shopping list and make some of this delicious soup.

 
 
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I think the thing I love most about this soup (other than the lamb shanks) is the fact that it is a nutritionally balanced soup. It has a protein component (lamb)…tick, a grain/carb component (pearl barley) …tick, and it is packed full of vegetables…double tick! I also love that the kids love it, especially when they get some bread that they can dip into it and they ask for multiple bowls…. TICK!

Pearl barley is a great grain. It is a fantastic addition to soup, and it is predominantly carbohydrate, but also contains protein and is a good source of fibre. If you are wanting the soup to be a lower carb soup, then the pearl barley can be omitted without changing the soup too much. You will just need about 500mLs less water.

Enjoy xx

 
 
 
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Ingredients:

  • 1 tbs olive oil

  • 2-3 lamb shanks

  • 1 brown onion, finely sliced

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 4L water

  • 1L beef stock

  • 6 black peppercorns

  • 1 sprig rosemary

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 sprigs thyme

  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced

  • 1 swede, peeled and diced

  • 1 parsnip, peeled and diced

  • 1 turnip, peeled and diced

  • 1 large stick of celery, diced

  • 250g pumpkin, peeled and diced

  • 1/3 cup red wine

  • 2 tbs tomato paste

  • 1/2 tbs soy sauce

  • 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/2 cup pearl barley

  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped

 

Method:

  1. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil and lamb shanks and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown the meat. Add onion and garlic and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until translucent.

  2. Add the peppercorns, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme and 3L of the water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook with the lid ajar for at least 1.5 hours.

  3. Add the remaining vegetables, stock cube, wine, tomato paste, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, pearl barley and remaining 2L of water and bring to the boil. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Turn off the heat.

  4. Remove the lamb shanks from the soup, remove the lamb from the bone and roughly chop if needed. Return the lamb to the soup.

  5. Add the mixed herbs, baby spinach and salt and pepper to taste.

  6. Serve into bowls and eat as it is or with some crusty grain bread if desired.