Rigatoni with stewed lamb shanks and mushrooms. "Sorry, I don't understand you"

How many times did I hear it? how many times did I say it? A lot, too many to count them.

This was back in 2003, when I moved to Australia as a new bride, as a new immigrant with a very poor English and a very strong Spanish accent.

I have never been a girl with a refined ear for music or languages. Nope, definitely not. Both subjects were my nightmares during my school years in Madrid. Funnily enough I ended being married to a foreigner, who luckily enough, spoke beautiful Spanish and came from a talented family in music.

I was saying that 11 years ago I left Spain and started my adventure with my new Aussie husband who softly reminded me the challenges of moving to another country, Down Under, and facing the English language barrier.

The English what??, I asked him. I had no idea what he was talking about. But soon enough I found out and in a not very easy way... Is there any other? I don't think so. When you hit the language wall there is not a gentle way to go through it. In my opinion, it is a drastic situation where you fight for being "one of them" - an English speaker, in my case- or not.

In April of 2003 I got a job as a waitress in a Spanish restaurant called Legends, in Canberra, in the first 15 minutes of introducing myself to the owner. This job, which was fun to meet lots of interesting people including my very good kiwi friend, Tina, whose friendship lasts until now, was stressful. I constantly made mistakes in taking food orders from the clients to the chef and the other way around, I misunderstood their meals and created considerable problems to the owners who forgave me as I was their daughter. But it didn't feel right to me so I resigned. Sorry, I said, it is my bad English. I promise to come back when I am "an expert" in English (and less clumsy!). 

I never did. I was too embarrassed.

So I decided to fix the problem. I joined the 6 months English course for new immigrants in the Canberra Institute of Technology. I got my two certificates with  a "superior" mark stamped. It wasn't enough though, I still didn't understand when people talked to me very fast. I still felt lonely and frustrated when Nick and I went to dinner parties and I couldn't say anything interesting during the meal -I am sure they thought Nick married to a very quiet boring Spanish girl- while everybody was having a good time. Nick squeezed my hand from time to time to let me know he was there with me, emotionally. It was a relief.

I taught Spanish to private students -some are also still my friends - using my certificate as a teacher of the International House of Barcelona and my experience in Spain during the last few months before I left for good. These private classes were the best escape from my resentment with this country called Australia. It was also a big help to the family income as we were not diplomats while we didn't have a posting. The economic situation was tight -and unexpected for me-.

So many times I was tempted to pack my suitcase to fly back to my country, to my culture. At least they would understand me. I would be myself again. I would be able to buy yogurt without being sent to the "jogging" section in the supermarket because the sales person didn't understand what I was looking for.

Nick kept telling me to have patience and one day you will wake up and understand the language. He was talking from his experience in Spain. I had to believe in him. And in myself, but I felt terribly lost. I had homesickness and zero self stem.

I don't like to admit when Nick is right, but he was. One day I started to read The Australian newspaper and understood more than 5 words in a row. The next day, I highlighted less and comprehended more. I was feeling happy and my confidence in my new adventure grew in a positive way.

The rest is history.

Many years have passed by and now I am writing a blog in English, for myself, with spelling mistakes. Sometimes I am aware of them, but I don't correct them.

They give my blog a personal touch!




Recently back from holidays in Australia I was feeling a bit homesick and craved a stew. It gives me comfort. I went to the shops and came across with some beautiful fresh Aussie lamb shanks (I don't recommend them if you are on a diet…they are so rich!). A luxury to welcome us to Manila.

 I totally made up this dish and I proudly admit that it was absolutely delicious. Here are some advices: 

• You need some crusty bread to soak up the sauce left on the plate after eating the rigatoni. 
• Like any stew, it tastes better the day after. Like any rich stew, it also tastes better with a glass of wine.
• If you live in the Tropics, set the aircon in 16 degrees, like we did and, with a bit of imagination, you will feel like it is Autumn outside!... although, this stew made us sweat anyway.

Rigatoni with lamb shanks and mushrooms

Start this recipe the day before. Serves 4-6

• Marinate: 
• extra-virgin olive oil
• fresh rosemary leaves 
• 2 lamb shanks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 180 g button mushrooms, finely sliced
• fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 cups of roasted tomato sauce (look at my post of "cheesy-veggy travel soup)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 500g rigatoni
• Red chilli pepper
• parsley
• Parmesan cheese, grated

Meat sauce:

1. At least 2  hours ahead you start this stew, marinate the lamb shanks in a plastic bag with the extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary leaves and sea salt. 
2. If you haven't made the tomato sauce in advance (I always have some in 1 cup plastic bags in the freezer), this is the time. Otherwise, skip this step.
3. When you are ready to cook, remove the lamb shanks from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior. Leave them at room temperature, still in the bag.
4. Heat a heavy cast iron pot to medium high heat, add the butter and fry the crushed garlic cloves for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir until brown and soft. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle some thyme leaves. Set it aside on a plate.
5. Add a lug of olive oil and fry the onion until soft. Set it aside. 
6. With the same heat, add a lug of oil and when it is pipping hot, carefully place the lamb shanks and fry them until brown on all its sides. It will take 5-7 minutes. 
7. In the same pot, with the brownish liquid left from the meat (that will give the stew a fantastic flavour), add the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon to loosen any cooked-on residue. When the wine has evaporated the alcohol for a moment or two, add the chicken stock, the mushrooms, the onion and the 2 cups of tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper. When it starts bubbling, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and put the lid on the pan.
8. Cook the stew for a minimum of 2 hours total, but longer if necessary for the meat to come off easily out of the bone.
9. Let it cool and refrigerate it tightly covered in a container. Bring to room temperature before reheating it gently.

1. Bring 3l of salted water to boil.
2. Add the pasta and stir. Keep the water boiling and stir occasionally until very al dente, 10 minutes. The meat sauce will finish off cooking the pasta.Besides, in my opinion, the dish tastes better and the pasta will be more digestible than if it is cooked too soft.
3. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid and drain the pasta. This water will bind the sauce with the pasta because the layer of starch and it will also help the taste.
4. Add the cooked pasta to the pot of the meat sauce and cook for 1 minute, at low heat, for a fuller, more intense flavour.
5. Serve with good grated parmesan and sprinkle the red pepper chilli and the parsley. The chilli helps to reduce the richness of the stew, it is not only for the flavour. 

Buen provecho!