Going back to my roots
Wednesday, 06 October 2010 14:59
Written by Admin
One year ago, I wrote my first column for Dish called “The Great Pumpkin.” Now it’s that time of year again and I have decided to go back to my roots. I’m not talking about my family history or where I came from-after all, this is a food magazine. Of course, I’m talking about root vegetables—and here to settle some root vegetable debates:
Carrots vs. parsnips
While usually orange, red, purple, yellow and white varieties of carrots exist. Though parsnips have the same shape, they are paler in colour and stronger in flavour—great in fall stews or roasts.
Rutabagas vs. turnips
Compared to turnips, the rough-skinned rutabagas are larger, sweeter and starchier. Turnips have a purple top, white bottom and are slightly bitter with yellow flesh, as opposed to white. Both make great side dishes and complement red meats very well.
Sweet potatoes vs. yams
Some sweet potatoes have pale skins with light yellow, slightly sweet flesh. That deep red-orange skinned variety with extra sweet, extra moist flesh we usually call a yam is actually a sweet potato, too. True yams are found in more tropical climates, have a rough, hard-to-peel skin and are not related to the sweet potato. Its versatile flavour means it is great in side dishes, desserts and stews.
All this being said, I had to leave you with a favourite fall dish of mine, guaranteed to be a hit at your next dinner occasion.
Beer-braised lamb shanks with root vegetables
4 lamb shanks
olive oil, as needed
2 carrots, diced large
1 parsnip, diced large
1 turnip, diced large
1 cup pearl onions, fresh or frozen
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups Innis & Gunn beer (I like Innis & Gunn for its vanilla
and toffee aromas and malty finish—perfect for this dish)
2 cups beef broth
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Pre-heat oven to 325°F. Season the lamb shanks with sea salt and pepper. On medium-high heat, brown the shanks in a braising pot and then remove from pan. If you do not have a braising pot, brown the meat in a separate pan and transfer to a roasting pan before it goes in the oven. Add the diced vegetables and pearl onions. Cook for five minutes, or until the vegetables begin to caramelize.
Add tomato paste, garlic and ginger. Cook for two minutes, then deglaze the pan by adding the beer, broth and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and with a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan to release any bits of caramelized food stuck to the bottom. Return the shanks to the liquid, cover, and braise in the oven for two hours.
When the meat is tender and is separating from the bone, it is ready. Strain the shanks and vegetables, reserving the liquid. Over medium-high heat, reduce the liquid until it thickens. Plate the shanks and vegetables with roasted sweet potatoes and drape with the sauce.
Roasted sweet potatoes
1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
olive oil
Rub the sweet potatoes with olive oil and wrap in aluminium foil. Bake in the oven for the same amount of time as the lamb shanks. They will be soft to the touch when they are ready. Remove the foil, cut the sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon.
If roasting sweet potatoes on their own, roast at 350°F for an hour and 15 minutes.