I’d been planning to cook lamb shanks from Heston’s home cookery booklet however when I realised these needed 4-5 hrs and it was already mid morning I needed to replan.
So Darina Allen’s Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic, Rosemary and Flageolet Beans it was.
Ingredients (for 4)
4 lamb shanks (about 1.1kg)
8 small springs rosemary
8 slivers garlic
4 anchovy fillets, halved
Braising Ingredients
25g goose or duck fat or olive oil
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 celery stalks roughly chopped
1 leek roughly chopped
1 onion roughly chopped
1 head of garlic halved horizontally
1/2 bottle red wine
150ml chicken or lamb stock
sprig thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 strips dried orange peel
Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
110g streaky bacon cut into lardons and blanched
110g carrots finely diced
110g celery stalk finely diced
110g onion finely diced
6 garlic cloves
4 very ripe tomatoes diced or 200g chopped tomatoes from a tin
2 springs thyme
leaves from 2 springs rosemary chopped
1 x 400g tin flageolet beans
150ml chicken or lamb stock
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C
2. Remove most of the fat from each shank
3. Make 2 deep incisions in each joint and insert sprig of rosemary and a sliver of garlic wrapped in anchovy fillet into each incision, then season the meat with pepper
4. Saute the meat in the goose/duck fat or olive oil until well browned on all sides then remove meat from the pan
5. Add carrots, celery, leek, onion and garlic and cook over a high heat until well browned
6. Add the red wine and bring to the boil and stir for 1-2 mins
7. Add the stock, herbs and orange peel, then place lamb shanks on top
8. Cover and cook for 2.25 hrs
9. Meanwhile make the sauce, heat olive oil in pan and brown the bacon
10. Reduce heat and add carrot, celery, onion, garlic and cook for about 8 mins until veg have softened
11. Add tomatoes, herbs, flageolots and enough stock to cover the beans
12. Cover and simmer for 1/2 – 1 hr
13. When the lamb has finished cooking remove the thyme, bay leaves and orange peel, Taste and correct seasoning
14. Serve in a hot deep bowl with the beans poured over and around
Garnish with fresh rosemary and thyme serve with fluffy mashed potatoes.
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