Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

Simon and I love lamb shanks (called, rather charmingly, 'souris d'agneau' in French, or 'lamb mice'). I think for both of us this dish would make it into our Top Ten.

Ingredients

2 - 4 lamb shanks

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1.5 cups red wine

1 cup chicken stock

400 g can crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1-2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

2 sprigs thyme

A bay leaf

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C.
2. Season lamb with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and brown the lamb shanks well.
4. Transfer the lamb to an ovenproof casserole.
5. Add all the other ingredients to the pan you browned the lamb in and heat until simmering. Make sure to scrape up any caramelised residue and pour over the lamb.
6. Cover and put in the oven to braise for 2 hours.
7. Uncover and cook for a further half an hour.
8. Remove the lamb shanks and keep warm.
9. Strain the sauce into a shallow pan and reduce to a syrupy consistency on top of the stove.
10. Serve the lamb shanks perched on mixed potato and celeriac mash, with a ladle of sauce.

Serves 2 - 6, depending on the size of the lamb shanks and appetites.

 

 

Yum

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