Lamb Shanks

I originally took this recipe from a Jamie Oliver Show. It is so simple but has so much flavour! I think its the balsamic that really gives it kick. After three hours the meat just falls straight off the bone. Its really so simple! Once you put it in the oven you don't need to touch it again until you're ready to eat. The meat is so tender that you almost can't tell the difference between the mash and the meat! Its all so soft and melt in your mouth...

4 lamb shanks
2 carrots
2 sticks celery peeled
1 brown onion
2 tins chopped Italian tomatoes
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
3 sprigs rosemary
1 tablespoon dried chilli
1 tablespoon plain flour
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup white wine
2 tins chopped tomato

Salt & Pepper
Olive oil
Mashed potato

Using pestle and mortar, bash up coriander seeds, dried chilli, a decent few pinches of salt and pepper. Add one-tablespoon plain flour and mix together well. Coat the lamb shanks in this mix.

Cover the bottom of a saucepan with oil and fry off the lamb shanks until they are golden. Set them aside.

Using the same oil that the shanks were cooked in, add the chopped onion and fry off for a few moments then add finely chopped carrot and celery. Then add a few decent pinches of salt and pepper. Add the whole sprigs of rosemary. Add four tablespoons of balsamic and cook it off until the liquid is quite reduced. Then add white wine and cook again until it reduces. Add the two tins of tomatoes and stir through.

Place the lamb shanks in the bottom of a baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. Cover and cook in oven at 180º for around 3 hours.

Serve on a bed of mashed potato.

E.