SLOW BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

INGREDIENTS Lamb shanks

600g lamb hind shanks / 10g herbs, marinade for the shanks / 1l home-made tomato sauce / 100g mixed vegetable with chickpeas

Marinade

60ml olive oil / 18g salt / 35g garlic, chopped / 7g rosemary, chopped / 6g mint, chopped / 1g dried oregano / 18g salt / 25g anchovies, chopped / 5g black pepper / 11g turmeric

Method

Marinate the lamb shanks with the spice mix, keep in the fridge overnight. Seal the outside of the meat on all sides on the flat top grill with olive oil. Transfer to a roasting tray, add the home-made tomato sauce. Cover with aluminium foil and cook for 3 hours at 160C, once the shanks are cooked, remove it from the liquid. Blend the sauce, pass through a sieve. Re-heat the sauce and correct seasoning and consistency.

Tomato sauce

200g onions / 50g garlic, sliced / 250g red capsicum / 250g carrots / 150g leeks 150g celery / 10g basil / 10g parsley / 5g rosemary / 5g thyme / 70g tomato paste 50g sugar / 10g salt / 5g pepper / 5g oregano / 2g bay leaves / 1l whole peeled tomatoes / 800ml water / 100ml olive oil

Method

In a medium pot, add 100ml of olive oil. Sauté onions, red capsicum, carrot, celery, leek for 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, rosemary and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar, tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then add the whole peeled tomatoes. Add the water, oregano, basil, parsley, bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the right consistency is reached. This should take 20 to 30 minutes. And check the seasoning.

Mixed vegetables and chickpeas

20ml olive oil / 20g leeks, diced / 2g garlic, chopped / 20g zucchini, diced / 30g potatoes pre blanched, diced / 30g chickpeas, cooked / 2g parsley / 2g salt / 1g black pepper / 50ml tomato sauce

Method

In a pan, add oil and sauté the leeks, zucchini, garlic. Once the leeks starts to colour, add the carrots, potatoes, chickpeas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Finish with tomato sauce, parsley and season with salt and pepper.

by PRABA MANICKAM