Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Spiced Slow-cooked Lamb Shanks


The other day I realised that winter is nearly over & to my shock & horror I haven’t made a single batch of lamb shanks this season. Well of course I had to rectify that immediately & cooked up this tasty version from Jamie Oliver’s The Naked Chef. The thing I love about this dish is the fact that really you just chop everything up, cook it a bit then chuck it in the oven for a couple of hours & wallah you have a gorgeously tender piece of meat falling off the bone, complete with intensely flavoured veggies, a little mash, polenta or whatever takes your fancy on the side & your meal is complete.

Spiced Slow-cooked Lamb Shanks

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

Season the lamb with salt & pepper. Smash up the coriander seeds & dried chilli & mix with rosemary & dried oregano. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it well. Dust the lamb with the flour.

Heat a thick bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides & then remove from the pan. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onions & a pinch of salt and sweat until softened. Add the vinegar & allow it to reduce to a syrup. Pour in the wine & allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the anchovies & tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan & return the lamb to it. Bring to the boil, put on a lid & simmer in the oven at 180c for 1 ½ hours, then remove lid & cook for a further half an hour. Season to taste & stir in the fresh herbs.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't have a casserole pan.

But after reading this, I think I desperately need one.

Unless a glass lasagne dish will suffice?

Anonymous said...

ange,
some fine looking shanks...I've made this version og Jamie's and really loved it with the anchovies...but bring on spring

Ange said...

You could try a lasagna dish & cover with foil but it might dry out. I recently invested in a great dish with a lid that can be used on the hot plate as well, it saves transferring dishes when moving into the oven & I have used it heaps, its fantastic, highly recomended

Anonymous said...

thanks ange,
My family has moved into my parents house whilst we get our place renovated and I was desperate to cook this for them, but alas I forgot my JO cookbook. I typed JO Lamb shanks into google and there you were (albeit on page 3). Many thanks for posting
Cheers
Libby

Anonymous said...

Hello and thanks!
i am an australian currently based in the US and just felt like a bit of home. Couldn't bring all my cookbooks with me - my sister has cooked this recipe often and I'm looking forward to eating it tonight!