Braised Lamb Shanks

Braised Lamb Shanks with White Wine and Rosemary

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
5 lamb shanks
12 shallots, peeled
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons tomato paste
250ml dry white wine
1 bulb of garlic separated into cloves but not peeled
3 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs
leaves from a small bunch of thyme, about 1 tablespoon
1 bay leaf
800ml fresh chicken stock, preferably organic
2 tablespoons of fresh mint, roughly chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper and fry for 10 - 15 minutes until browned on all sides.
While the lamb is browning heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan or casserole and fry the shallots and carrots for 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°.
Remove the cooked lamb from the frying pan. Add the white wine to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon making sure to get all the richly flavored sediment from the bottom of the pan.
Add the shanks to the casserole and stir in the deglazed pan juices, garlic, tomatoes, herbs and stock. The liquid should just cover the lamb. Cover and simmer on the stove or in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender. Adjust seasoning and scatter with chopped mint leaves just before serving.

Serve with mashed potato.