Braised lamb shanks with shallots, white wine, olives & lemon

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 4 lamb shanks
• 16 shallots, peeled
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 200ml of good quality white wine
• 500ml chicken stock
• Juice & zest of 2 lemons
• 75g of pitted green olives
• A handful of freshly chopped parsley
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Parsley and lemon gremolata:

• 3 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• The juice & zest of 1 large lemon
• 4 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 140°c gas mark 1 275°f
2. Heat the rapeseed oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish on the hob over a medium heat. Season the lamb shanks and brown all over in the hot oil for approximately 8 minutes.
3. Remove the lamb from the dish and set aside then add the shallots and cook for a further 8 minutes until golden brown.
4. Reduce the heat add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary and return the lamb to the casserole dish. Then pour over the white wine, stock, lemon zest and juice, season well, bring to simmering point and cover with a tight fitting lid then transfer to the oven and bake for 2 ½ -3 hours.
5. Meanwhile make the gremolata by mixing all the ingredients together and season with sea salt and black pepper and set aside
6. When the lamb shanks are cooked remove them and the shallots from the sauce and place in a serving dish to keep warm.
7. Skim off the fat from the surface of the sauce and discard. Strain the sauce and return to the casserole dish. Bring the sauce to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes then add the olives, adjust the seasoning and add 1 spoon full of the gremolata to the sauce.
8. Finally pour the sauce over the lamb shanks and shallots and serve with remaining the gremolata, sprinkled flat parsley and sauté potatoes.

Credits

UK Shallots, for professional and passionate cooks : www.UKShallot.com