Serves 4–6
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes + 3 hours to slow cook
DF | GF (use GF flour)
INGREDIENTS
• hindquarter lamb shanks 4–6
• plain flour 2 tablespoons
• salt 1 teaspoon
• olive oil for cooking
• onion 1 large, diced
• carrots 2, diced
• garlic 4 cloves, chopped
• smoked paprika 2 teaspoons
• ground cumin 2 teaspoons
• ground coriander 2 teaspoons
• freshly ground black pepper
• cinnamon stick 1 whole
• tomato paste 2 tablespoons
• crushed tomatoes 400g can
• red wine ½ cup
• chicken stock 1½–2 cups
• dried apricots, roughly chopped, ½ cup
LEMON AND WALNUT TOPPING
• walnuts, chopped, ¼ cup
• coriander, chopped, ¼ cup
• flat-leaf parsley, chopped, ¼ cup
• lemon zest of 1
• salt and pepper
Energy 2013kj / 482kcal
Carbs 20g
Protein 31.8g
Fat 26.5g
Sat fat 11.2g
Sugars 15.4g
These are seriously good shanks. I’m willing to bet you that these could be the best lamb shanks you’ve ever had. Everyone who has ever eaten them has said exactly that! With melt-in-your-mouth tender meat falling off the bone, a rich sauce with hints of warming spice and sweetness that you’ll want to lick off the plate, and a vibrant touch of lemon and herbs at the end, this recipe will become your go-to over winter.
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Pat shanks dry with paper towels. Place in a plastic bag, add flour and salt, and shake to coat well.
2. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large, heavy-based fry pan. Cook shanks for a few minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer to a casserole dish that the shanks can fit in snugly.
3. Wipe out fry pan with paper towels. Add a drizzle more oil and cook onion, carrot and garlic for 3–4 minutes or until soft. Add spices and pepper, and continue cooking for a further minute. Stir in cinnamon stick, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, wine, stock and apricots.
4. Pour into casserole dish to just cover the shanks (if needed, add a little more stock to cover). Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook in oven for about three hours, or until meat is tender and falling off the bone.
5. Mix all lemon and walnut topping ingredients together in a small bowl and season with a little salt and pepper.
6. Sprinkle lemon and walnut topping over lamb shanks just before serving. Serve with lemon and spinach couscous or mashed potato and steamed greens (e.g. beans, spinach, broccoli, etc.).
LEMON AND SPINACH COUSCOUS
Bring 1½ cups chicken stock to a boil in a small- to medium-sized pot. Take off the heat and stir in 1½ cups couscous, a generous knob (about 20g) of butter and zest of one lemon. Place a lid on top or cover with a plate, and leave to steam for 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff up with a fork and toss through three handfuls of chopped spinach until lightly wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
