SPICED SLOW-COOKED LAMB SHANKS

This Jamie Oliver’s recipe is a popular choice at Monkvalley. We love these lamb shanks, they are slow cooked so they do take time,  but you will be rewarded with moist, succulent meat which will just fall off the bone.

Serve with: creamed potatoes, Polenta, or rice. You are going to need something to soak up that delicious sauce  It’s is a wonderful dish.

INGREDIENTS.  Serves 4

4 Lamb shanks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 small dried red chilli
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablspoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 large carrot, quartered and sliced
6 sticks of celery, quartered and finely sliced
2 medium/large onions,finely chopped
2 tablspoons balsamic vinegar
170ml dry white wine
6 anchovy fillets in oil
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
1 handful of fresh basil, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Season the lamb. Smash the coriander seeds and chilli and mix with the rosemary and marjoram. Now, roll the lamb in this mixture, and dust with the flour.

Heat the oil a casserole pan, and brown the meat on all sides, then remove from the pan, and set aside.

Now put the garlic, carrot, celery, onions and a pinch of salt in the pan and sweat until softened. Add the balsamic and allow it to reduce to a syrup. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the anchovies, then the tinned tomatoes. Shake the pan and return the lamb to it. Bring to the boil and simmer in the oven with the lid on for 1½ hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Skim off any fat and season to taste.

Finally, stir in the fresh herbs.

Original recipe Jamie Oliver “The Naked Chef”