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From the Quilter's Chef

I must be one of the luckiest quilters on earth. I never have to cook unless I feel a sudden urge to be in the kitchen (extremely unlikely). My husband is a marvelous chef and he looks after the meals in our house. I should be very clear here, he is not a chef by trade, he is an academic, too. However, cooking is his love, and over the years he has perfected his skills until, I'm convinced, he has earned at least 3 stars. Now, imagine my quilting weekends. I immerse myself in dyeing or printing fabrics, cutting and stitching. After a busy day in my studio, I am welcomed back to the house with a glass of wine, a few yummy little things to nibble and a great dinner. Not bad!

Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

Slow cooking, warming, fragrant, these lamb shanks are so nice in cold weather!

You will need 1 to 2 lamb shanks per person, 2 large leeks, 4 cloves garlic, and handful each of fresh sage and thyme, 3 stalks celery, 2 large carrots, cracked black pepper corns, a little flour, ground black pepper, salt, olive oil and 3 cups of reasonable quality red wine.

Roll the lamb in a combination of flour, salt, black pepper and brown in the olive oil in a heavy pan. When the shanks are well browned on all sides, reduce the temperature and add the vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Stir, cover for about 10 minutes, just to let the leeks soften, then add the wine. Cover again and barely simmer until tender, about 3 hours. Check the liquid level regularly and add water or stock if it is getting dry. When the meat is tender, remove from the pan and cover to keep warm. Remove the herb twigs, etc. and assess the sauce. It may not need anything but to be spooned over the meat. If you like tomato richness in your sauces, now is the time to add a tablespoon of tomato paste, a little liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted winter vegetables including brussel sprouts. Pour glasses of a lovely rich red wine and enjoy!

Afterwards, if you can possibly hold another bite, core and slice one granny smith apple per person. Butter a flat baking dish large enough to hold a single layer of apple slices. Add the sliced apples, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle on some cinnamon and bake in a moderate oven until the slices have browned. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone or vanilla ice cream... or both!

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