LAMB SHANK CASSOULET

Gordon Ramsay’s lamb shank cassoulet recipe is  the perfect winter warmer.  We love Lamb, and Shanks are a perfect “fall of the bone” succulent lamb dish It’s packed with herbs, plus plenty of extra flavour from smoked bacon and herby sausages

INGREDIENTS

4 lamb shanks, each weighing about 350g
3 tablespoons olive oil
50g smoked lardons
2 large Spanish onions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato purée
A few sprigs of fresh thyme, plus extra leaves, to serve
2 bay leaves
250ml dry white wine
1 litre chicken stock
2 x 400g cans haricot beans, drained and rinsed
4-6 Toulouse sausages (or herby sausages), cut into pieces
30g butter, to serve
75g fresh breadcrumbs, to serve

METHOD

Season the lamb shanks. Heat a thin layer of oil in a heavy-based pan. Fry the lamb over a medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side until evenly browned. Set aside on a plate.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the lardons. Fry for a few minutes until golden and release fat. Add the onions and garlic and stir well.

Cover the pan and sweat the onions for 10-15minutes until translucent.

Remove the lid and add the tomato purée thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir for a couple of minutes, then pour in the white wine. Let the wine boil until it has reduced by two-thirds. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Return the lamb to the pan and put a crumpled piece of baking paper on top. This will prevent any meat that pokes out of the liquid from drying out. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and gently simmer for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the lamb shanks over halfway, until tender and just about falling off the bone.

Transfer the shanks to a warm platter, cover with foil and rest. Skim off the excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid, then boil until reduced by about half. Reduce the heat, add the beans and sausages to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sausages are cooked.

Season and return the lamb to the pan to reheat.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and tip in the breadcrumbs, extra thyme and a little salt and pepper. Stir over a medium heat until the breadcrumbs are crisp. Remove the pan from the heat.

Divide the lamb shanks between warm plates and spoon the beans, sausages and sauce around them. Sprinkle over the crispy breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

Original Recipe Gordon Ramsey