Luscious Lamb Shanks
Prep time – 20 minutes
Cook time – 3 hours
Serves 4 – 6 depending on how
many shanks you use
Ingredients:
4 – 6 lamb shanks
2 medium onions, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
½ head of garlic
3 springs of Rosemary
4 medium sized portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 tbls heaped tomato paste
2 tins of tomatoes, chopped up
2 cups chicken or beef stock
About 8 olives
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
A good pinch of dried thyme
Pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
Method:
Preheat oven to 150 degrees.
Put a heavy based, preferably cast iron pot with a lid, on the stove to heat to a medium heat.
Rub the shanks with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and seal in the pot until sealed and golden all over. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Add enough olive oil to cover the base of the pot, and add the diced carrots, onions and celery with a good pinch of salt and sauté for about eight minutes until they start to soften, stirring here and there as needed.
Add the garlic, rosemary, and mushrooms and sauté, stirring here and there, for about 6 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for about a minute.
Add the tinned tomatoes, balsamic, stock, olives, dried thyme, sugar and season well with pepper. Stir to combine, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, add the shanks back to the pan, clamp on the lid and bake for three hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
If the sauce is too loose once the meat is cooked, just pop the pot back on the stove and reduce it until you’re happy with the consistency.
Sprinkle over chopped fresh parsley My family loves this served with buttery mashed potatoes and a sharp rocket salad.
By Raquel Neofit.
Raquel is a freelance writer for the food, travel and lifestyle industries. She’s always dreaming about her next meal or trip!