Move over mum

Mums, take a step aside and let the kids cook dinner this week with a proper sit-down meal with a main and dessert.

I think my 9-year-old-old son could just about master these two recipes that are fun and straightforward to prepare, without mum or dad needing to jump in.

Braised lamb shanks

This is the perfect time of year to enjoy these nourishing melt-in-the-mouth shanks. Teach the kids the basic steps of browning or caramelising the meat all over, and then the vegetables, to bring out and develop the depth of flavour in this dish. Once they eat it they will understand that the long, slow cooking is what produces the tender meat.

Serves 4

3 Tbsp rice bran oil
4 lamb shanks
1 tsp salt
½ cup each diced carrot, celery and onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup white wine
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 L lamb or chicken stock
1 small sprig rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
½ tsp black peppercorns
Small square of muslin cloth

1. Heat the oven to 150C. In a large casserole dish heat the oil until hot. Season the shanks with salt then fry until golden brown and caramelised all over. Take out and keep on the side.
2. Add the carrot, celery, onion and garlic to the casserole dish and fry until lightly caramelised.
3. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half. Then add the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Place the shanks back in to the casserole dish.
4. Make a bouquet garni by placing rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns on the muslin and tie the corners to form a parcel.
5. Add to the casserole, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 3 hours.
6. Carefully remove shanks and keep hot. Boil the cooking liquid until it has reduced down to a thick sauce. Serve the shanks on top of soft polenta and ladle over the hot sauce.

To see step-by-step instructions click

here

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Soft polenta

I tried polenta for the first time on a freezing cold night at a restaurant high up on a hill above Lake Como in Italy that we had to trek 20 minutes to get to. The cooked polenta was just poured on a wooden board and served with a long wooden knife. It is soft, hot and cheesy — perfect food for kids.

Serves 4

400ml milk
400ml water
1 tsp salt
150g instant polenta
1 cup grated Italian parmesan cheese (parmigiano reggiano)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil

1. Bring milk, water and salt to the boil in a large saucepan. Sprinkle in the polenta while whisking.
2. Keep stirring as it begins to thicken, cook for 5 minutes.
3. Mix in the cheese, butter and olive oil, and serve while hot and soft.

To see step-by-step instructions click

here

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Upside-down golden syrup pudding

This pudding is quick to make. It is mixed up in a food processor then steamed in a pot. The only thing you need to keep an eye on is that the water doesn’t boil dry. You don’t need a pudding bowl with a special lid, just use a stainless steel bowl and cover it with foil.

Serves 8

240g golden syrup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 eggs
170g sugar
170g very soft salted butter
170g flour
2 tsp baking powder
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Tbsp milk

1. Grease a 1¾ litre stainless steel bowl with butter then pour in the golden syrup. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.In a food processor blend the eggs, sugar, butter, flour, baking powder, lemon zest and juice, and the milk to form a smooth batter. Pour this into the prepared stainless steel bowl.
2. Cover with a greased sheet of greaseproof paper then a piece of tinfoil and crimp down the foil firmly to seal the bowl.
3. Place the pudding into a pot of boiling water so that the water comes halfway up the bowl.
4. Cover the pot with a lid or more foil and simmer gently for 2 hours, adding more water if necessary to prevent boiling dry.
5. To turn out, remove foil and paper, place a plate on top of the pudding. Use both hands to tip the pudding over. Carefully lift the bowl off. Serve immediately with real egg and cream custard, and perhaps a little ice cream too.

To see step-by-step instructions click

here

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Real egg custard

A real custard made with egg yolks and cream is truly delicious and really quite easy to do. I add a bit of orange peel to mine to give it a little zing. Be careful when cooking the custard to not let it get too hot. This is when it can split — so use a low heat and stir slowly and constantly until the custard begins to thicken.

300ml cream
5 strips orange peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
150g sugar

1. In a saucepan bring the cream, orange peel and vanilla to the boil.
2. Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a bowl.
3. Pour the hot cream mix on to the yolks and whisk well.
4. Return the mix back to the saucepan.
5. Reduce the heat to low and gently stir the custard until it begins to thicken. To prevent the custard from splitting you must ensure the heat is low and that you stir constantly.
6. The custard is done when it is thick enough to leave a clean mark when you run your finger over the custard on the back of a spatula. Keep warm until needed.

To see step-by-step instructions click

here

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