Pumpkin Soup

2 pounds pumpkin, peeled
2 onions, chopped
6 cups stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup light cream
Chopped parsley

Cut pumpkin into 1/2-inch cubes, removing seeds and fiber.
Place in a saucepan with the onions, stock and seasoning.
Cook over low heat until pumpkin is soft, about 1 hour.

Purée pumpkin in blender.
Return to saucepan.

Combine flour and water and stir until smooth.
Add to the soup, stirring constantly, until it begins to boil.
Add cream.
Mix well. Remove from heat.

Garnish with chopped parsley to serve.

Swaggie’s Lamb Shanks

A swaggie (swagman) is someone who carries a swag (all his worldly possessions) on his back and roams around the country on foot, living off his earnings, doing odd jobs here and there, and from gifts of money and food.
This inexpensive cut of lamb is one a swaggie might be given and is a real treat when cooked this way and served sitting around a campfire under the stars in the Australian bush.
It is more likely, though, that a swaggie would use beer rather than wine.
This tastes better when cooked in a camp oven (a heavy cast iron pot with a lid) over an open fire and then finished, clamped in a grill (broil) rack, over the coals until the outsides are crisp and golden.
You will need to begin making this dish two days ahead of serving.

6 lamb shanks
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3 fresh parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 head garlic, cut in half across the cloves
1 (2 inch long) piece ginger root, peeled and sliced
6 peppercorns
1/2 cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
1 bottle red wine

Arrange the shanks in a large, shallow baking dish.
Scatter the vegetables, herbs, garlic, ginger root and peppercorns over the top.
Pour in the oil and the wine.
Turn the shanks over in the marinade to coat evenly.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Transfer the shanks to a cast iron Dutch oven with a lid and pour the marinade evenly over the top.
Cover and bake in the center of the oven until fork tender, about 2 hours. During cooking, turn the shanks over from time to time.
Remove from the oven and let cool, then refrigerate overnight in the marinade.

Drain the shanks over a pot, catching the marinade.
Place the marinade over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to a good coating consistency.
Arrange the shanks on a griller (broiler) tray and slip under the broiler.
Broil until glazed and crisp, about 5 minutes, then turn and grill until glazed and crisp on the second side and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Serve the shanks at once with the reduced sauce spooned around them.

Serves 6.

Aussie Sausage Rolls

Filling
2 pounds ground lamb
2 eggs
6 slices crustless white bread
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup tomato paste
Salt and pepper

Pastry
3 sheets puff pastry (11/2 packs Pepperidge Farms frozen sheets)
2 egg yolks
Sesame seeds, untoasted

Thaw puff pastry sheets to room temperature and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Make fresh bread crumbs by putting slices of bread through a blender or food processor.
Combine lamb, eggs, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well.

Roll pastry into flat sheets and cut into long, wide strips.
(If using Pepperidge Farms sheets, cut in half.)

Place filling into sausage-shaped lines down the center of the pastry strips.
Roll pastry over the top to enclose and then turn upside down so the seam is underneath.
Cut meat-filled tubes into 6 portions and place on a nonstick baking tray.
Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Serve with ketchup.