Cheese recipes
2.5–3 hours
Lamb ragu with cheesy mash and green beans
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Lamb ragu with cheesy mash and green beans
4
Medium
25 minutes
2.5–3 hours
Ingredients
-
For the lamb:
- 750 g Woolworths Free Range Lamb Shank & Knuckle
- 2 T olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 x 400 g tinned crushed tomatoes
- 2 T tomato paste
- 3 bay leaves
- 500 ml beef stock
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste For the cheesy mash:
- 1 kg Woolworths frozen mashed potatoes
- 4 T butter
- 60 g Grana Padano, finely grated For the green beans:
- 200 g green beans
- 1 T olive oil
- sea salt, to taste For the honeyed walnuts:
- 60 g walnut halves
- 1½ T honey
Method
1. Heat 1 T olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot. Brown the lamb shanks and knuckles in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pot and sauté the onions until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and beef stock. Return the lamb to the pot, bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 2.5–3 hours, or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily.
4. While the lamb cooks, prepare the mash. Heat the frozen mashed potato according to the package instructions. Stir in the butter and Grana Padano until smooth and cheesy.
5. Blanch the green beans in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then refresh in cold water. Sauté in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil just before serving.
6. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes. Drizzle with honey and stir to coat. Allow to cool slightly.
7. To serve, spoon the cheesy mash onto plates, top with generous helpings of ragu, and serve with green beans and a scattering of honeyed walnuts.
Cook's note: You can make the lamb a day ahead – the flavour deepens overnight. Leftovers are great spooned over toast or pasta. This dish is an ideal winter warmer, perfect for relaxed dinners or a fuss-free weekend meal. The leftovers also make a great filling for toasties or pasta.
Photograph: Jan Ras
Production: Abigail Donnelly
Food assistants: Bianca Jones
The gentle bubble of a stew, the aroma of something rich and hearty – this is what winter cooking is all about. And Woolworths’ free-range lamb shanks and knuckles are the perfect cuts for the ultimate comfort food. Raised without routine antibiotics or growth stimulants and expertly butchered, they’re ideal for long, slow braises that unlock deep, savoury flavour. Serve with creamy mash or your favourite winter sides for a meal that warms from the inside out.
