We celebrate the irresistible charm of lamb shanks and chops, the deep, savoury aromas, the melt-in-the-mouth textures, and the timeless cooking traditions that turn simple cuts into unforgettable meals. From slow comfort to quick indulgence, this is your invitation to fall a little bit in love with lamb. Love lamb.
Lamb has a way of making an entrance. Whether it’s a slow-braised shank that collapses at the nudge of a fork or a perfectly seared chop with its blush-pink centre, this is meat that doesn’t do shy.
It’s rich without being heavy, rustic yet unmistakably elegant, the kind of dish that feels just as at home at a cosy Sunday table as it does at a candle-lit dinner.
Let’s celebrate the irresistible charm of lamb shanks and chops, the deep, savoury aromas, the melt-in-the-mouth textures, and the timeless cooking traditions that turn simple cuts into unforgettable meals.
From slow comfort to quick indulgence, consider this your invitation to fall a little bit in love with lamb.
HERE’S A GREAT TIP:
A lamb crown roast gives you the tastiest, juiciest lollipops of meat to savour off the bone … but, they can be tricky to cook.
So, to get close to the same effect, carefully cut a rack into double mini chops. Render the fat in a hot pan and seal all sides.
Set them aside and deglaze the pan with a splash of wine. Add 175ml of beef stock, a teaspoon of Stokes Mint Sauce and a tablespoon of our Redcurrant Jelly too. Reduce with a good ‘James Martin’ knob of butter.
Add the double chops back to the sauce for 4 or 5 minutes before serving.
The Lamb Shanks revival is well under way. Once on every recipe menu and firm favourite of domestic cooks, butchers have put it back on their slabs.
The lamb shank is taken from the bottom section of the back legs and is a cheaper cut that is still full of flavour.
Cooked slowly in a local ale, this cut takes on a melting, almost gelatinous tenderness from the bone, letting the meat almost literally fall off.
Brown the shanks in a deep casserole with the chopped Holy Trio – onion, carrots and celery. Add a bottle of dark ale, and top off with chicken of beef stock. Add depth of flavour with our Sweet Mint Sauce and rich tomatoey Real Tomato Ketchup (a couple of spoons and shakes of each).
Cover and simmer on a really low heat for 3 hours, checking to make sure the pan doesn’t dry and the contents doesn’t stick.
When the meat is falling off the bone and the rich sauce thickens up – you’ve made it … literally.
To the Mediterranean coastline of North Africa – Tunisia or Morocco – for Lamb Tagine served with sweet peppers and vegetables couscous and tabbouleh.
‘Love’ James Martin’s recipe HERE or our own Resident Chef Andy’s recipe HERE with ras el hanout and preserved lemons.
Whilst slowly simmering, add our Real Brown Sauce (for its Persian spices and sweet dates) and Tomato Ketchup (for its naturally rich tomato flavour).
Minted Lamb with Mustard Mash
15 Minute Meals often promise lots but deliver little. This both promises and delivers. Enjoy the RECIPE – HERE.
House rules – to eat with fingers or cutlery?
Italians call Lamb Chops “agnello alla scottadito“: “Scottadito” literally means “burn your finger,” referring to the idea of eating the lamb chops so hot from the grill that you might burn your fingers.
Rib chops have their own little “handle”, which makes them perfect for picking up and eating with your fingers.
House rules. Ask the host. If they use their fingers, so may you.
The Traditions of a Fish Supper
[This is The Fish Works on the seafront in Largs, Scotland who serve Stokes new enormous sachet range with their F&C’s … as so many across the country now do.]
When we talk about fish & chips, we’re talking about a serious national pastime. From pop-up bars to the regular corner chippy. From Scotland to Cornwall. With tartare sauce, mushy peas, gravy and even curry sauce.
What do you like with yours?
DID YOU KNOW:
Around 382 million meals are bought from fish-and-chip shops annually.
Of those, about 167 million are the classic fish-and-chips portions.
How many on Fridays?
Surveys and industry estimates say nearly 50% of all fish-and-chip meals are bought on Fridays.
So roughly 83 million across all Fridays making about 1.3 million portions per average Friday.
Real Tomato Ketchup
Award winning Real Tomato Ketchup – The star of the Stokes range!
200g of sun-ripened, juicy Mediterranean tomatoes are crammed into every 100g of this award-winning Real Tomato Ketchup, giving it a rich tomatoey flavour which makes you wonder how you hadn’t discovered it before!
At the heart of our Real Mayonnaise is the egg—British free-range whole eggs, no less. We use an impressive 12%, more than anyone else we know, to create a rich and authentic flavour. Combined with a splash of Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil, this recipe delivers a truly luxurious, velvety finish that’s a cut above the rest.
Don’t just take our word for it—the Great Taste judges described it as: “A glossy, clean, and attractive mayonnaise. Olive oil offers an attractive sharp edge.”
Stokes Tartare Sauce
A smooth creamy Tartare Sauce jam-packed with coarsely chopped gherkins and capers for a traditional accompaniment to fish.
The difference is the creamy depth of flavour making in ‘tartare without the tart!’
This is The Fish Works on the seafront in Largs, Scotland. Like so many premium ‘chippies’ across the country, they too now offer Stokes sauces in our new ‘enormous’ sachets.
In their own post:
We’re proud to announce that we’ve moved to Stokes Sauces, not only because they taste absolutely amazing, but because they share our commitment to protecting the planet
Stokes have been awarded the prestigious Carbon Charter GOLD accreditation once again, a true testament to their dedication to sustainability.
Their commitment includes:
Reducing their carbon footprint year after year
At The Fish Works, we believe great food should come with great responsibility. Partnering with Stokes means we can continue serving you incredible flavours while reducing our environmental impact even further.
Their new sachets are not only enormous, but completely recyclable too.
Better taste. Better choices. Better for the planet.
Our thanks to you all at The Fish Works.
1. Login to your Stokes Sauces account. If you’re not yet registered, set up an account here.
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4. Once your friend’s order has been processed, you’ll also receive a 10% off voucher code. This can be found under the ‘Referral Coupons’ tab on your account dashboard and valid for 3 months.
1. Copy & Share Your Link
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3. You will get 10% coupon on the referral order purchase.
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