越式紅酒燴羊膝 Slow-cooked Australian Saltbush Lamb Shank in Red Wine Sauce

現今的鮮肉真空保存技術真行：羊膝12月初空運到港，只需放入冰箱冷藏，即可保存一個多月。這些新鮮澳洲鹹草羊膝 (chilled Australian salt bush lamb shank) 就是月初減價買，預留聖誕晚餐用的，但一直未決定如何烹調。忽然想起多年前我做第一道牛尾食譜，與一般西式燜牛尾非常相似，但就加了 Vietnamese twist: 香茅。

我當時是新手小煮婦，未有經驗燜牛尾，結果一連用明火燜了6小時才夠稔滑，相當痛苦！後來認識鑄鐵鍋，喜歡它們燜煮肉食的效果：肉質較易稔但仍保持嚼勁，不會燜至 “溶溶爛爛”。於是就開始了收集鑄鐵鍋的 “不歸路”！ 我從未因為顏色美而買鍋，我更重視實用性和造型，所以有大大小小、深淺不一、圓型、橢圓型、南瓜造型、蕃茄造型…林林總總的鍋具，而燉湯盅則有各種蔬果造型，好不可愛。

原打算用橢圓鍋煮羊膝，忽然想起友人多月前從老遠帶給我的蕃茄造型鑄鐵鍋，非常適合處理兩隻羊膝。配一度沙律或灼菜，再加點糙米飯、意大利粉、麵包又或新薯都適合。

對於處理燉肉的菜式，我建議早一晚煮好，有足夠時間讓各種食材的味道融合和滲入肉內。翌日翻熱，入味又節省時。

越式紅酒燴羊膝，配 Pan-fried New Potatoes 和 Tossed Arugula Salad

材料（4至6人）

• 羊膝，兩隻，洗淨抹乾
• 洋蔥，一個，切塊
• 乾蔥，數粒
• 香茅，兩至三支，只取白色部份，拍鬆
• 西芹，一支（西芹非常新鮮，加了西芹葉，減少廚餘）
• 甘荀，一隻，切塊
• 黑椒粒，一茶匙
• 紅椒粉 (Paprika)，半湯匙
• Concentrated tomato puree (in a tube)，1.5 湯匙
• 蒜茸，1湯匙
• 紅酒，1杯
• Passata, 1盒
• 水，適量
• 海鹽，適量，最後調味用

烹調用具：一個剛足夠放下兩隻羊膝，可入焗爐的有蓋鍋

方法

1. 燒熱鍋，下油，放入羊膝，用大火煎至四面焦香，把肉汁都封着。把煎好的羊膝移至碟上。

2. 放入洋蔥、乾蔥和香茅慢火爆香，至洋蔥略軟。

3. 放入甘筍及西芹炒至微微焦香，加入黑椒粒、紅椒粉、蒜茸和 concentrated tomato puree 炒香。注意：可能要加點油讓 tomato puree 釋出的香味和顏色。這步驟易燒糊，視乎情況可略加點水。

4. 加入紅酒和 passata，加入羊膝，以中火燒開，逐少加水至剛浸過食材，加蓋收細火慢煮。把焗爐預熱至 150℃，把鍋放入焗爐焗 120 分鐘。

5. 最後可以加點點海鹽調味。

肉汁香濃，我並未有加海鹽，原汁原味！

Roasted Spiced Racks of Lamb Shoulder

I always have racks of lamb shoulder in the freezer, but summer is coming and I want to clear the stocked red meat and make some room for frozen poultry, seafood and dessert.

Ingredients:

• 2 racks of lamb shoulders, 4 bones each
• Your favorite spice rub (I always have some spice blend as dry rub, you can search a recipe which you like and blend your own)
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Pat-dry the lamb. Make small incisions into the meat with the point of a sharp knife to allow the marinate to penetrate.
2. Mix the rub with extra virgin olive oil to form a paste. Rub the paste all over the lamb. Give it a good massage.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C.
4. Heat a frying pan until sizzling hot. Sear the lamb on all sides.
5. Remove the lamb into the baking tray and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes until cooked to your favorite doneness.
6. Remove the baking tin from the oven, cover the meat with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

I still had some herby Greek yoghurt sauce in the fridge and it is very good to go with lamb. This is my favorite sauce which goes extremely well with seafoods, roasted meats and even salads. The ingredients are listed in my other recipe: Baked Panko-Crusted Seabass Fillet