Lamb shanks are good value, and as each one is a portion, serving is a cinch. You can braise the shanks up to two days ahead
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 lamb shanks
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- few sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, left whole
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 350ml white wine
- 500ml lamb or chicken stock
Method
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Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Pour the oil in a casserole dish or roasting tray large enough to fit all the shanks. With the pan set over a high heat on the hob, spend a good 10 mins browning the lamb all over.
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Remove the lamb, add the onion and carrot and cook for 10 mins until starting to brown. Stir in the herbs and garlic and cook for a few mins more. Stir in the flour and tomato purée, season well then pour over the wine and stock.
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Return the lamb shanks to the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid or tightly with foil and cook in the oven, undisturbed, for 1½-2 hrs until lamb is tender. Remove the lamb from the sauce and set aside.
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Put pan back on the hob and bubble the sauce down for about 15 mins until rich and glossy. Pass through a sieve into a jug. The lamb and sauce can be stored in the fridge for two days or frozen for one month. To serve, reheat the lamb in the sauce, adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.