Lamb Shanks (Slow Cooked)
This seems to appear on pub menus, and in the interests of research; we’ve tried a few, over the length of the country. The curious thing is that when ordering, you’re asked whether you’d like mint gravy or redcurrant jelly gravy, or both! We think the point of the dish is that the shanks should be served in the gravy in which they’re cooked, rather.than adding one afterwards. That said, nowhere in the country were we disappointed.
In common with a lot of “slow cooking” this is dead easy-bung it all in, leave to cook, in the oven and come back to a plate of steaming excellence.
Serves 6 - or keep some for freezing for an even easier meal later.
Ingredients
6 lamb shanksPlain flour for dusting
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 onions, finely sliced
a handful of chopped thyme, oregano, rosemary and a bay leaf
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
150ml (5 fl oz) white wine (red is also interesting)
300 ml (10 fl oz) stock
Method
Pre heat oven to 140C, 280F, Gas mark 1. Or you can cook it on the hob.
Dust the shanks in the flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
In a casserole, heat the oil and brown the shanks on all over and remove. Brown the onions, add the herbs and garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Raise the heat, add the wine and bubble furiously for a minute or two. It’s important to cook the wine through. Add the stock.
Return the shanks to the pan. Cover closely.
Cook in the oven for about 3 hours, or at a low heat on the hob.
If you like garlic, stir in a crushed clove or two an hour before serving.
Serve with lots of polenta or mashed potatoes, with a steamed cabbage cut in quarters.
