Lamb Shanks

[Ashore]

Got a few lamb shanks for tea tomorrow and was wondering if anyone has a good lamb shank reciept :rolleyes:

[wheelinround]

Morrocan Lamb shanks do a search on google

[Cliff Rogers]

Gina does, I'll go & find it & get back to you.... it uses a whole bottle of red. :2tsup:

[dennford]

Gina does, I'll go & find it & get back to you.... it uses a whole bottle of red. :2tsup:

I go through a whole bottle of red with Lamb, beef, fish, weetbix etc etc:D

[Cliff Rogers]

I can't find it & Gina is still at work.

This one is similar but the newer one has apricots & Cinnamon it it as well.

Lamb Shanks with Olive and Anchovy, on Soft Polenta
© 'Simple', Australian Gourmet Traveller, 2003
NB: Don't be put off if you hate anchovy, you won't even know they're there. You can leave the olives out if you prefer, they just flavour the sauce.

1/4 cup (or less) olive oil

4 lamb shanks (about 300g each), pref. french-trimmed

4 cloves garlic, crushed

8 anchovies

2 tblspn plain flour

2 tblspn tomato paste

500ml red wine

1 cup chicken stock

100g jumbo green olives (or whatever you can find)

Flat-leaf parsley, to serve


1. Preheat oven to 180C. If the lamb shanks aren't trimmed, trim as much fat off them as you can.

2. Heat as much olive oil as your cholesterol can deal with in a large, heavy-based pan or casserole dish, bearing in mind that less oil can make the sauce a bit more tricky (but I don't think I've ever used the entire 1/4 cup). If your pan isn't oven-proof you will have to swap to one at step 5. Brown the lamb shanks well over high heat and remove.

3. Reduce heat, add garlic and anchovies and stir until the anchovies fall apart (you should have a paste, but don't stress if not). Add flour and tomato paste and stir for 3 minutes. This is where it can get a bit tricky.

4. Stir in wine (I swap to a whisk at this point and add it gradually), and boil for five minutes, stirring to remove lumps. This should give you a thick, satiny, dark burgundy sauce. If it's a bit grainy, don't worry, any lumps won't survive long.

5. Add chicken stock, olives and shanks, cover, and cook in oven for 2 hours or until meat falls off bone (you might want to turn the shanks once). Sprinkle individual serves with parsley (if you can be bothered).

I have done the same recipe with eight shanks - simply increase the stock and red wine (and possibly the tomato paste), so that the shanks are covered and don't burn in the oven.

I like this with soft polenta (this is enough for 4):

2 cups milk (I use low-fat)

150g polenta (the recipe specifies 'instant', but every brand I've tried cooks so fast it doesn't matter)

1/2 cup grated parmesan

20g butter


Begin about five minutes before serving.

1. Combine milk with 2 cups water and bring to boil.

2. Whisk in polenta in a steady stream, and stir for 3-5 minutes until mixture is thick.

3. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan and butter, and season to taste.

This recipe halves or quarters well.

© 'Simple', Australian Gourmet Traveller, 2003

[Ashore]

Many thanks cliff shmbo vetoed the anchovies and I will go with the mash so thanks to Gina , if I was a pom i'de ask if you serve it with chips but i'm not so I won't :U

Rgds
Russell

[scooter]

Nice over a sweet potato mash as well :2tsup:

[Cliff Rogers]

Try it with parsnip mash. :2tsup:

Gina is home now but on the phone, I'll get her copy off her shortly.

[Cliff Rogers]

Struth... anybody want to have a go at deciphering this????? :D

[Cliff Rogers]

OK, here we go, deciphered & checked.
It was taken from a recipe in a newspaper about 3 years ago.

Lamb Shanks braised in Red Wine & Cinnamon. :2tsup:

Ingredients
4 Lamb Shanks trimmed of excess fat
Olive oil
Seasoned flour
2 cups of lamb or chicken stock
4 – 6 small onions whole
3 carrots chopped
12 large green Spanish olives
12 dried apricots.

Marinade Ingredients
Salt
Pepper
6 Thyme sprigs
2 Rosemary sprigs
Zest of one lemon peeled in large strips
2 Garlic cloves halved
½ Teaspoon Cloves
2 Cinnamon sticks
1 Teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Bayleaves
1 Tablespoon sugar
750ml bottle of full bodied red wine (less one glass for the cook)

Place shanks in a suitable dish, add the marinade, cover & refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Remove the shanks from the marinade & dry on paper towel.
Dredge in seasoned flour & pat off excess.
Put a large heavy bottomed pot on med-high heat & add oil to cover the bottom.
When the oil is smoking, add the lamb & cook til caramel brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
Add the marinade to the pot, simmer & cook until slightly reduced. 5 Minutes
Add the stock, onions, carrots, olives, & apricots.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat & simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Serve with bread or polenta.

[Simomatra]

Russell
Tried the other night in a Tagine

http://www.cuisine.com.au/recipe/lamb-tagine-with-saffron-and-preserved-lemon

Turned out OK got the tagine for Xmas great for lots things

[Cliff Rogers]

I tried the one I found & posted at post #5 above last night.
Turned out very good, I even got compliments from the full time cook. :2tsup:
I use Couscous instead of Polenta & added some par boiled veg on the side.

[Simomatra]

Cliff have you tried the Israeli Couscous very nice. will try your recipe next :2tsup::2tsup:

[Cliff Rogers]

Cliff have you tried the Israeli Couscous very nice.
Nope, will keep an eye out for it.


will try your recipe next :2tsup::2tsup:
try both of them & let me know what you think.

[Ashore]

Sam and cliff many thanks to you both
Didn't get your reciept early enough sam . Damm grandkids so used cliff's first one less the vetoed anchovies ( but i'll use them if its ever just for me ) , doubled the wind ( gold rock 2002 shiraz thats past its best drink by date so at $3 per bottle I keep a case for cooking ) and added a little arrowroot to thicken and served with fresh crusty bread, the problem was that shmbo has decided I should now make it at least once a week and as it takes about 2 hours with prep time and cooking time means less shed time :doh:
Rest assured that I shall try both the other reciepts though I shall have to wait till I get a Tagine for yours sam , do you use you Tagine on the stove top or in the oven , We only have a convection microwave and the Tagines I have seen are to high for our oven and some only recomend electric cook top and we have gas :?
As for that second reciept of yours cliff the apricots, cinnamon and rosemerry has he smacking my lips already
Thanks again guys
Russell

[patty]

I normally cook mine in the crock Pot and cook them all day for at least 5 hours on low the recipe we use uses tinned tomatoes as well and ingredients very similar to the above I throw a few fresh mint leaves right at the end to give it that extra bit LOOVVEEE Lamb Shanks!!!!!!

[Cliff Rogers]

We have a Tagine & we use it in the convection oven.
It is fairly high & it would be a tab difficult getting 4 lamb shanks in it unless that had one joint removed (as most do nowdays.)

The 2nd recipe is very good but try the green olives on their own first.
If they are the really big green ones from the gormet deli, they may be just a tad too tangy & you might like to cut back on them.
If they are the small green ones out of a bottle, they may be a bit mild & you may want to add a few more.

[Simomatra]

Rest assured that I shall try both the other reciepts though I shall have to wait till I get a Tagine for yours sam , do you use you Tagine on the stove top or in the oven , We only have a convection microwave and the Tagines I have seen are to high for our oven and some only recomend electric cook top and we have gas :?
Russell

Russell ours says to use a convection oven or a gas ring with diffuser fitted on low heat

I can see no problems with using a croc pot, put it on and go to the shed

[burraboy]

A crockpot is the go! I set it up over breakfast, shanks and a packet of french onion soup, no liquid. Set it on low and leave it 'til dinner time. Nice with moroccan style couscous or rice.

[Simomatra]

Cliff

Trying your first one tomorrow night. Let you know how it goes.

Will be with Israeli couscous though

[wheelinround]

Sue picked up 6 yesterday :2tsup:

shanks Cliff ooops I mean thanks

[Simomatra]

Great stuff Cliffy We finally had them last night The missus was not all that keen but it went down a treat with me