Lamb shanks

Lamb shanks are quite simple to prepare and make a very good dinner recipe. They can be prepared and left in the oven to cook so that the meat falls from the bone and melts in the mouth as it is eaten. They make a good dinner party recipe and are almost hassle free in preparation.

Browning
• 6 lamb shanks
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Boiling (Lamb juice)
• 800ml water
• 1 tin Tomato puree
• 6 lamb shanks
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 leek, roughly
• 2 sticks Celery
• 1 spring Thyme
• 1 spring Rosemary
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns

Baking
• 6 tbsp Olive oil
• 6 lamb shanks
• 2 Carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 Onions, roughly chopped
• 4 potatoes cut into 4
• 1 head Garlic, broken up into cloves (unpeeled)

For the sauce
1. 3 finely chopped Shallots
2. 150g button mushrooms sliced
3. 2 tbsp unsalted Butter
4. 1 tbsp fresh mixed herbs
5. Basil finely chopped
6. Parsley finely chopped
7. Lamb juice
8. ½ Lemon, juice only
9. 2 tsp Honey

For the vegetables
• 12 cherry tomatoes, on the vine
• Broccoli, (blanched, refreshed)
• Butter


Method

1. Browning - Heat the oil in a frying pan. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown the shanks.
2. Lamb juice - Take a casserole (or any oven-proof dish) and place on the hob over a high heat, pour in Tomato puree, Chicken stock, Bay leaf, leek, Celery, Thyme, Rosemary, Whole peppercorns and the shanks. Boiled them until the meat tender.
3. Remove the shanks; let the juice to reduce about half its volume.
4. For the sauce - sauté the Shallots, Mushrooms with Butter than add in Mixed herbs, Basil, Parsley, Lamb juice, Lemon juice and Honey. Cook it and check the seasoning.
5. Now it’s baking time - Take a deep baking tray and grease with olive oil, place the shanks, onions, carrots, garlic and the sauce
6. Oven temp 150C and baking time is about 1 hour.
7. Once the shanks in the oven, sauté the vegetables. Serve the lamb shanks with the cooking juices poured over the top.
8. To serve: Place the shanks in the centre of warm plates, then drizzle the sauce over , but not too much. Arrange the cooked vegetables around the lamb.