Cold winter nights provide the perfect excuse for some hearty comfort food and there’s little better than a gently braised lamb shank. This recipe works equally well in a slow cooker, just make sure to braise the shanks first.
Tip
The fattiness and earthy, rich flavours of this casserole make it an ideal partner for a Pinot Noir.
Ingredients
- 4 x 200g lamb shanks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 200ml red wine
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 large brown onion, peeled and sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
- 200ml beef stock
- 10g butter
- 1 large sprig of thyme and rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat, cook the shanks until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes in total. Remove shanks from pot.
2. Add onions, carrots and garlic to the pot and sauté until golden brown. Stir in wine, tomatoes and beef stock. Season with rosemary and thyme. Return shanks to pot, bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.
3. Remove the lamb, place on a bed of mash with vegetables. Reduce the stock until slightly thickened, add butter and whisk, then spoon over shanks.
