LAMB SHANK & DOMBOLO POTJIE

Leopard’s Leap Winemaker Renier van Deventer loves cooking over an open fire and this recipe by Woolworths Taste magazine is one of his favourites: Lamb Shank with Dombolo steamed on top. He loves it with an authentically South African Leopard’s Leap Pinotage, but when Franschhoek celebrates its French heritage in July, he chooses the Bordeaux-style Culinaria Grand Vin!

LAMB SHANK & DOMBOLO

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 kg lamb shanks
64 g flour
oil, for frying
3 onions, sliced
4 carrots, thickly sliced
30 g butter
1 x 220 g can tomato purée
1 cup red wine
2 leeks, sliced
2 t fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 T parsley, roughly chopped
2 t paprika
3 star anise pods
1 t dried sage
1 T coriander seeds, crushed
3 cups beef stock
7 potatoes, medium unpeeled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the dombolo:

2 cups warm water (might require more if needed)
2 t instant yeast
750 g cake flour
45 g caster sugar
a pinch salt

Method:

1. Light fire and start cooking when fire is at its hottest.
2. Trim fat from lamb. Toss shanks in flour and coat well. Heat a large pot (number 3 is ideal) with oil.
3. Add onions, carrots, leeks and butter. Stir until onions are soft and translucent.
4. 4 Add tomato purée and simmer, adding a little bit of red wine to deglaze.
5. Once all wine is used and mixture is a dark, rich brown colour, add shanks to the potjie. Stir and coat the lamb in mixture and close. Let lamb brown for 10 mins.
6. Add herbs and spices.
7. Add beef stock and more water until meat is covered.
8. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
9. For dombolo: Pour 1 cup warm water into a jug. Add yeast and allow to foam (about 5 minutes).
10. Mix flour, sugar and salt. Add water-and-yeast mixture to flour mixture, slowly add more warm water and mix.
11. When reaching a dough-like in consistency, stop adding water and begin kneading. If you’re using a mixer, mix until it starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If mixing by hand, knead for around 15 minutes.
12. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or clingwrap brushed with oil. Prove until doubled in size.
13. Knock dough back by punching it down, then roll into tennis ball-sized balls.
14. After stew has been cooking for 2 hours, remove lid and add potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
15. Place dombolo directly on simmering stew. Cover and cook for 30 minutes over a low simmer. The dombolo is ready when a toothpick pricked into it comes out clean.
16. Note: If you’re using a smaller potjie, rather steam dombolo in a bamboo basket or steamer for about 45 minutes.

Thank you for the recipe,  Lesego Semenya, Woolworths Taste!