Main Meal Recipes > Lamb Shanks

This recipe is part of the March 2010 Recipes Menu


Starter - Parsnip and Swede Soup
Main Course - Lamb Shank
Dessert - Lemon and Almond Gateau

How to make lamb shanks:
Shank of lamb is an economical cut of meat but with long and careful cooking it can rival leg or shoulder in terms of succulence and taste.





Ingredients

Lamb Shanks
2 lamb shanks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tin borlotti beans
1 bouquet garni
5 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped an deseeded
3 teaspoons tomato puree
half fresh red chilli
2 teaspoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

for the topping:

finely grated rind half a lemon
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
(see measure conversions for more information)

Method

- Put the olive oil into a large frying pan.
- Brown the lamb shanks in the olive oil.
- Transfer to a large, lidded, ovenproof casserole dish.
- Soften the carrot,celery,onion and garlic in the meat juices and oil left in the frying pan.
- Add the vegetables to the lamb shanks in the casserole dish.
- Pour 3/4 pint of water into the frying pan and bring to the boil incorporating all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour this over the ingredients in the casserole dish.
- Add the beans and the bouquet garni to the casserole dish.
- Cook at 180 degrees C.for about 11/2 hours.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the tomatoes, chilli and sugar.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return to the oven until the meat becomes very tender.
- For the topping mix the parsley, garlic and lemon rind together and sprinkle over the food before serving.