Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 lamb shanks from Belmore Organic Meats
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
• 3 fresh bay leaves, torn
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 5 garlic cloves, 4 chopped, 1 whole
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 700ml veal, chicken or beef stock
• 150ml white wine
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

•  Preheat the oven to 140°C/fan120°C/gas
•  Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan with a lid over a medium heat. Season the shanks and brown all over in the pan for 8-10 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the onion and fennel to the pan and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until turning golden. Add the bay leaves, rosemary, chopped garlic, half the thyme and return the shanks to the pan.

•  Pour in the stock and wine and heat until just bubbling. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bake for 2½-3 hours, until the meat is meltingly tender.

•  Meanwhile, crush the remaining garlic with a pinch of salt and finely chop the remaining thyme. Put in a bowl with the lemon zest, parsley and extra-virgin olive oil and mix together well. Season with black pepper only.

•  Transfer the shanks to a dish and cover loosely with foil. Skim off and discard the fat from the surface of the sauce, then bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons sauce into the lemon, garlic and parsley mixture.

Notes

Divide the lamb shanks between plates, strain over the sauce and spoon over the gremolata. Serve with creamy mashed potato.