Oven-Braised Lamb Shanks with Potatoes and Tomatoes

This delicious lamb shank recipe is an ideal comfort food for winter nights

15 minutes prep, 2 hours cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsns olive oil

4 lamb shanks

3 onions, quartered

5 carrots, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves, sliced

4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)

750 ml dry white wine

1 bay leaf, 1 large sprig of fresh thyme, 1 large sprig of fresh rosemary, several sprigs of fresh parsley, all firmly tied together in a bundle

1kg new potatoes, quartered

6 fresh plum tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the over to 150 C, Gas 2.

Heat the oil in the flameproof casserole dish. Add the lamb and shanks and cook for about 7-10 minutes, until browned all over, turning halfway though. Transfer the lamb shanks to a dish, season generously with salt and set aside.

Add the onions and carrots to the casserole dish and cook for 3-5 minutes, until just browned. Add the garlic and anchovies, if using, and cook for 1 minute.

Season well and add the wine. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute.

Return the lamb shanks to the casserole dish and add the herb bundle, burying it in the liquid. Add water if necessary; the lamb should be almost completely submerged in liquid.

Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2 hours, checking occasionally, to ensure the liquid does not reduce too much.

After 2 hours, top up with water if the liquid has greatly reduced, then add the potatoes and tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Cook for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the herb bundle before serving.