This
is a poor quality piece of meat that has managed to
top restaurant and pub menus around the world. How! I have only ever
ordered it once off a menu and it was totally dissapointing. But you
know, I keep seeing these foodie posts and mag articles about how
good it is. I pop into one of my favourite butchers and he says he
has on special Victorian Lamb shanks that are fantastic. Ok, lets
give it a go.
The people I cooked this for thought it was fantastic. And it was
a good stew. The flavours and texture of the gravy were right on point.
Couldn't have been better. The lamb was gelatinous and tender.
Great. The mash, super silky full of butter and cream. But still a
cheap cut of meat stewed on mashed potatoes with a gravy.
An idea is to wrap the meat in cling wrap and stand it upright
leaning against something. As it cools keep shaping down into a more
ball shaped end on the bone. The oysters give the gravy real depth.
Great ingredient in any stewing gravy. This stock recipe will ruin
you from ever using supermarket stock again.
Ingredients
4 Lamb shanks (frenched)
Marinade:: 300ml Red wine, 1 tsp Salt,
1 Tbs Honey, 4 cloves Garlic
Browned lamb shanks
10 Garlic Cloves whole
1 cup Beef Stock
1 cup Red wine / Marsala
Marinade juice
1 Canned oysters
Carrots Champignons
Shallot Onions
Potato Flour
Stock::
2.5 kg Beef Bones
1 Onion, 2 Carrots, 2 Tbs Lemon Juice
1 Tbs Tabasco sauce, 1 Tbs Vegemite
2 Tbs Tomato paste, 1 Tbs Coriander
2 Tbs Thyme dried, 1 Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Cummin, 1 Tbs cracked pepper.
And whatever else except salt.
Method::
Marinade::
Combine marinade ingredients and bring to a simmer for a few
minutes. Cool. Add shanks, vaccuum seal and marinate 24 hours or
longer. Reserve marinade liquid.
On the day:: 3.5 hours out::
Brown the lamb well on all sides in oil and butter for 10 minutes.
Add to a glass baking dish. Add garlic cloves, marinade, stock, wine
and oysters. Cover with foil and cook at 165° for
70 minutes.
Brown off the shallot onions, carrots and champignons for 4 minutes
in butter. Remove the baking dish and just disturb and turn the lamb
shanks. Add carrots and champignons. Cover and cook at
165° for 60 minutes. Just disturb and add shallot onions. Cook
40 minutes longer and it is done. Remove the shanks and shape using
cling wrap.
Strain cooking juices to seperate the vegetables and gravy. Reduce
the gravy in a saucepan for 10 minutes. Add potato flour if
required to get a thicker gravy. Season to taste. Add back in vegetables.
Plate shanks over mashed potato and cover with sauce. Serve with
peas, beans or sprouts on the side
--------------------------------------------
Stock::
Roast the bones, onion, carrots for an 90 minutes at 190°
Transfer to a 7L pot with Lemon Juice. Cover with 5 Litres of water.
Bring to a simmer and transfer to the oven at 120° for 10 hours
with the lid on.
Remove the bones and strain out the solids. Transfer between large
bowls and back to 7L pot. Add Tabasco sauce, Vegemite, tomato paste,
Coriander seeds, Thyme, Paprika, pepper and Cummin.
Low boil and reduce by a third to about 2 litres. 90 minutes. Cool
rapidly and then refrigerate. Remove the solid fat and decant into
usable quantities. Freeze for future use.
Lamb Shanks Mushroom Oyster Sauce
Heart Warming Recipe