Mary Berry’s Burford Lamb Shanks dinner party menu

Red Pepper and Sweet Potato Soup

“This soup is smooth but you can keep some of the pepper back before whizzing if you like your soup with a little texture,” says Mary. “The colour of this soup is stunning and is a very healthy soup as there is no fat or flour, just pure vegetables. Ensure the sweet potato and pepper pieces are cut up the same size – they will then cook at the same rate.

Ingredients
(Serves 6)
675g (1½lb) sweet potato, peeled
2 red peppers, seeded and cut into large chunks
1 large onion, chopped
1.5 litre (2½) chicken or vegetable stock

Method
Cut the sweet potatoes into about 4cm (2”) even sized pieces.

Tip the potatoes into a large deep saucepan, add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil on the boiling plate. Boil for a few minutes, season, cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Strain the soup and put the vegetables into a processor and whiz until smooth.

The soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and reheated to serve. When reheating stir well so the thickest puree doesn’t sink to the bottom of the pan. Freezes well.

Return the liquid and pureed vegetables to the pan and bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Burford Lamb Shanks

“A hearty warming casserole,” says Mary. “If preferred the shanks can be cooked slowly in the oven at 160°C/140 fan/gas 3 rather than cooking on the hob.”

Ingredients
(Serves 4)
1 tablespoon oil
4 lamb shanks
40g (1½ oz) butter
3 large onions, thinly sliced
40g (1½ oz) flour
450mls (3/4pint) beef stock
5 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
About 1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly

Method
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Brown the lamb shanks until golden brown in two batches. Set aside. Melt the butter then add the onions and fry for a few minutes.

Add the flour to the onions, then blend in the stock, wine, Worcestershire sauce, redcurrant jelly and seasoning, return the lamb shanks, cover with a lid, bring up to the boil, cover and transfer to the simmering oven for about 3 hours until the lamb is very tender. Halfway through the cooking time add 4 tablespoons of water and stir. Check the seasoning and add more redcurrant jelly if needed.

Can be made completely ahead the day before, reheat gently on the hob. Not suitable for freezing.

Serve with creamy mashed potato

Chocolate Pots

“These are little shot glasses or small pots of a rich chocolate confection,” says Mary. “Bournville we find is the best dark chocolate to use as it’s pretty foolproof. For a variation add a little grated orange rind.”

Ingredients
(Serves 6)
300ml (½ pint) single cream
200g (7oz) plain dark chocolate
A little pouring double cream

Method
Measure 225ml of the cream and chocolate into a small bowl. Sit the bowl on the back of the Aga until the chocolate has just melted into the cream.

Stir the chocolate and cream together until blended.

Pour into 6 shot glasses or coffee cups and transfer to the fridge to set for an hour or so.

These can be made up to 48 hours ahead and kept in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.

Just before serving pour over the remaining cream so there is about 1cm (½”) of cream floating at the top.