Braised lamb shanks with lemon, garlic and parsley

By polloazul

A gastropub favourite, tender lamb shanks love being left to cook until succulent and intensely savoury. Even better if made in advance and chilled overnight - scrape off any surface fat before reheating until piping hot.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 x 400g lamb shanks
• 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
• 700 ml lamb, chicken or beef stock
• 150 ml white wine
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/fan120°C/gas 1. 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.

2. 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 achingly tender.

3. 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.

4. 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.

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

Tip: Replace the lamb shanks with generous chunks of lamb shoulder; they may require a slightly shorter cooking time but will be just as flavoursome. To freeze: freeze at the end of step 2. Thaw, reheat on the hob thoroughly and complete the recipe.