[Will Hunt]

I'm cooking to impress tomorrow and need to know what to have with my sexy looking lamb shanks. I was thinking mashed spuds but need a way to liven this up. Flatmate suggested onion mash but not sure if I've ever had this. I'm sure I'd like it but she might not. Is this onion mash shizzle easy to love and prepare?
What else? Carrots seem a bit boring?

Basically I'm a clumsy and unimaginative bastard in the kitchen and need something that's going to be easy, tasty and special. UKB, your mission has been set!

[Paul B]

Thyme Cafe (Sheff) do a really nice curried lamb shank with a nice smooth mash Mmmmmm.

I've also had one with polenta which was nice.

[Bubba]

Carrots don't have to be boring; they are nice honey-glazed and very easy to prepare: here and here

Onion mash should be easy, just google it

One from the Thyme cookbook is to get a load of fresh baby spinach - blanch it in boiling water then fry it in some nice butter for a few minutes. Then soak the butter off with some kitchen towel and serve. Not exactly health-food but very yummy.

How are you cooking the shanks? The slower the better imho to get that tender, fall of the bone, slightly glutinous thing going on.

Good luck!

[Will Hunt]

Cheers Bubs. Quite like the baby spinach idea, that should be nice with the mash.

[Jim]

Cheesy mustard mash is the best!

[SA Chris]

Let us know if it scores you a home win or not.

[Graeme78]

I'd second cheesy mustard mash, also I've recently been experimenting with butternut squash in my mash, and that tastes rather fine too.
Like Bubba says make sure you cook your lamb shanks long and slow.

[dave]

best lamb shank recipe you'll ever taste. i shit you not.

[SA Chris]

Sweet potato mash is lovely stuff too. In fact sweet potato anything is great.

[Jaspersharpe]

best lamb shank recipe you'll ever taste. i shit you not.

Lamb Shanker.

[magpie]

Cheesy mustard mash is the best!

That sounds like a knicker loosening recipe to me 

Or you could do dauphinoise, which is always good.

I'll see if I can think of anything else, it's unlikely though I'm being distracted quite badly by the thought of cheesy mustard mash.

Who are you cooking for? 

[dave]

best lamb shank recipe you'll ever taste. i shit you not.

Lamb Shanker.

seriously, after tasting this recipe you'll pretty much let him bum your mother in the mouth.

[butters]

Mash potatoes with celeriac and whole grain mustard in is a favourite of mine. Apparently substituting pumpkin for celeriac is also rather good but I haven't tried that one yet.

bluebrad 

[Will Hunt]

Am ashamed to say I've let the fine people at Asda take care of the shanks for me. Boil in the bag for 15 mins!
So far Bubba's suggestion is the winner as it should be pish to prepare. I have to finish my bloody essay beforehand so haven't got masses of time.

[Jaspersharpe]

I'm cooking to impress tomorrow

Asda . Boil in the bag

 

Good luck with it anyway Will.

[Will Hunt]

I know I know! But they look damn fine in the picture on the box. 
I reckon it will go well. Nobody needs see where the shanks emerge from.

[tlr]

Lets face it, her mind will be made up long before you get your lamb shank out. 

And anyway, its best to start low I find, if you raise the bar too high early on then you set her up for some grave disappointments in the future, or you make a serious rod for your own back in the future.

Good luck.

[SA Chris]

Asda . Boil in the bag

 

Good luck with it anyway Will.

I think by the usual student standards that's a feast! Get some fresh green bits for garnish, makes anything look better.

[Will Hunt]

Lets face it, her mind will be made up long before you get your lamb shank out. 

Some shocking insinuations going on in this thread. How dare you!

[magpie]

 

tlr is clearly a romantic, look, the smilies cuddle afterwards 

[Paul B]

and you as per usual drag the topic gutterwards 

[fatdoc]

Mash potatoes with celeriac and whole grain mustard in is a favourite of mine. Apparently substituting pumpkin for celeriac is also rather good but I haven't tried that one yet.

bluebrad 

This IMO is the best option here... coz the shanks arnt gonna be the slow cooked packed full of flavour epic they should be.. unless boil in the bag has come on more than a bit....

so you need a va vav voom potatoe hit... and this would be it!

[Will Hunt]

Can anyone give me a detailed run down of how to do the mustard spuds?

[Graeme78]

Basically what you do is boil your spuds, sorry, mash 'em and add mustard to taste.

[slackline]

Can anyone give me a detailed run down of how to do the mustard spuds?

  Come on Will it doesn't require a genius.  I've never made mustard spuds before but I'd imagine its along the lines of....

• Peel taties (optional, could clean well and leave the skins on for a bit more substance to the mash, personal preference really).  If they're large cut them up into roughly golfball sized pieces as this will expediate the cooking and ensure they are all cooked to the same extent at the same time
• Get a large pan
• Fill it with water from the tap
• Place the potatoes in the pan of water with a sprinkling of salt
• Place the pan on an approriate sized hob on the cooker
• Turn the hob on
• Boil the potatoes until they are cooked and soft.  Test this by piercing a potatoe with a sharp knife and lifting out of the water, if the potatoes are cooked they will slide off the knife as you lift them.  This will probably take ~20mins
• Drain the tatties
• Return to the pan and mash with a good dollop of mustard, choose from English, French, Dijon (amount varies on personal preference and tolerance to mustard).  Optionally add a knob of butter, and if you want creamier mash add a little milk (gradually otherwise you'll add too much and ruin them)

I'm sure others will have variations to their own preference.

Failing that  

[dave]

if you're really pushing the boat out to score some poosay then i'm sure asda still sell Smash, and you should be able to nick some mustard sachets from any pub doing food.

in years gone by you could have just bought a Pot Mash and decant it onto a plate (preferably a paper plate).

[Will Hunt]

Fill it with water from the tap

Are you sure? Shouldn't I get it from the water butt?

Turn the hob on

Honestly? Don't I need to get an adult to help me with this?


 

[slackline]

Are you sure? Shouldn't I get it from the water butt?

Well you could go with Volvic/Evian, but it would be a bit of a waste.

Honestly? Don't I need to get an adult to help me with this?
 

By the sounds of it yes.

[magpie]

Just make the mash, add mustard (a good teaspoonful?) - I would go for the grainy stuff - and if you want maybe grate some cheese and stir that in too.  I am guessing that's about as complicated as it gets.

[butters]

Can anyone give me a detailed run down of how to do the mustard spuds?

Follow the idiot guide instructions written by slack---line but if you are adding celeriac (1/3rd celeriac to 2/3rds potato) then either make the celeriac pieces slightly larger or add them when the water comes to the boil as it takes less time to cook.

Also after you have drained the potatoes put a clean tea towel over the top of the saucepan and then put the lid back on for a couple of minutes. This will remove any excess moisture remaining and will result in better mashed potato.

Lastly mustard must be whole grain IMO - type and amount is up to you but remember you can always add more mustard but it is a bastard to take it out again! 

bluebrad

[tlr]

 

tlr is clearly a romantic, look, the smilies cuddle afterwards 

Hey, that's not cuddles afterwards, that's the start of foreplay again for the next go.

[tomtom]

Basically I'm a clumsy and unimaginative bastard in the kitchen and need something that's going to be easy, tasty and special. UKB, your mission has been set!

I'd go for a sweet potato and normal spud mash myself - easy peasy.. but I suspect you've had too much plenty of advice on the mash front by now...
But - make sure you have a damned good desert in the fridge. Some posh looking chocolate cake - because if the main dish goes tits up at least you have something to save the day.. and if the main goes well then its bonus points bonus points...

Make sure you get a nice bottle of red wine to go with it - something dark and redcurranty will go really well!

Good luck, and I'll start the UKB sweepstake with I recon you'll have her knickers off 1/2 hour after the last morsel of desert has gone 

[slackline]

Good luck, and I'll start the UKB sweepstake with I recon you'll have her knickers off 1/2 hour after the last morsel of desert has gone 

I always thought the saying was...

The way to mans heart is through his stomach

Is there something you're not telling us Will  

[tomtom]

Good luck, and I'll start the UKB sweepstake with I recon you'll have her knickers off 1/2 hour after the last morsel of desert has gone 

I always thought the saying was...

The way to mans heart is through his stomach

Is there something you're not telling us Will  

  Just realised the gender police will have me in irons for this.. what I meant was "your guests underwear" 

[robertostallioni]

NSFW

C'mon you bastard, dissolve.

Honestly Will, the lamb was enough, this really isn't necessary...can we just wash up?

Last night will always be etched on my memory, Will. How do you like your eggs for breakfast?

[Paul B]

come on FFS add a NSFW or something

[lagerstarfish]

Basically I'm a clumsy and unimaginative bastard in the bedroom and need something that's going to be easy, tasty and special. UKB, your mission has been set!

If I could wad Google Ads I would. At the bottom of the page was a sign in HUGE type that said "Why Is Your Stomach So Fat?" - to which I replied, through tears of laughter, "coz I eat so fucking much, you moron". I doubt that the ad was supposed to produce this effect, but I haven't laughed so much at something from tinterweb in ages.

No, its not really that funny I suppose.

[slackline]

So how'd the meal go Will?

Did everything come together at the table as planned and you made yourself look like a culinary genius?

[tomtom]

So how'd the meal go Will?
Did everyone come together on the table as planned and you made yourself look like a culinary sex genius?

What happened Will??

[Will Hunt]

Food was pretty good actually. The lamb was dead tasty for something that only took 15 mins to cook. Really juicy and tender 
Had a bit of mustard mash with it too. Clean plates all round which is a good seal of approval.
Will have to bust out the peppered steak in a red wine sauce with roast new potatoes with garlic and thyme next
Cheers for the tips chaps 

[fatdoc]

 

tlr is clearly a romantic, look, the smilies cuddle afterwards 

Hey, that's not cuddles afterwards, that's the start of foreplay again for the next go.

I'm sure yr missus will be delighted that you're inferring over the tinterweb that you're at it mulitiple times a night... must email her this page as a link




 

[Joepicalli]

Cheesy mustard mash is the best!

It is but it won't go with the lamb which is fatty enough with out cheese in the mix. I would suggest a rosemary mash you will have to steep some rosemary (a Lot if you are cooking tomorrow) in olive oil overnight (chop it finely then strain it just before you add it to the mash as you don't have much time). Then make the mash with half the usual amount of butter and add the rosemary infused oil to taste, English mustard goes in to finish the job.
Good luck with the meal and anything else which might follow.

[Joepicalli]

Cheesy mustard mash is the best!

It is but it won't go with the lamb which is fatty enough with out cheese in the mix. I would suggest a rosemary mash you will have to steep some rosemary (a Lot if you are cooking tomorrow) in olive oil overnight (chop it finely then strain it just before you add it to the mash as you don't have much time). Then make the mash with half the usual amount of butter and add the rosemary infused oil to taste, English mustard goes in to finish the job.
Good luck with the meal and anything else which might follow.

Just realised how late I am with the advice and good luck

[tlr]

 

tlr is clearly a romantic, look, the smilies cuddle afterwards 

Hey, that's not cuddles afterwards, that's the start of foreplay again for the next go.

I'm sure yr missus will be delighted that you're inferring over the tinterweb that you're at it mulitiple times a night... must email her this page as a link




 

It was advice, not an autobiography.

I'm far too old for those sorts of shenanigans 

[Bubba]

best lamb shank recipe you'll ever taste. i shit you not.

Cooked this tonight - used a shoulder of lamb rather than shanks but it was just lovely. I initially thought that the amount of chilli powder was a misprint but after two and a half hours of cooking it was perfect.

Served it Jaffrey's sweet yellow rice and this Indian Saag recipe using kale & spinach.

The greens were gorgeous but the sweet yellow rice, though nice was a bit of a flavour clash with the other two dishes. I'd choose something a little more savoury next time.

[dave]

best lamb shank recipe you'll ever taste. i shit you not.

Cooked this tonight - used a shoulder of lamb rather than shanks but it was just lovely. I initially thought that the amount of chilli powder was a misprint but after two and a half hours of cooking it was perfect.

nice, glad you liked it. i've done it with other non-shalk cuts too, its all gravy. to illustrate how good it is, i cooked it for my mum, who doesn't like curry or any "foreign" food, didn't tell her it was a curry and she loved it.

[Houdini]

Cheesy mustard mash is the best!

Yeah man, w/ cheese and beer and potato and beer and dripping and cheese and goose and rack-of-widgeon!