Cuisine – Aromatic lamb shanks

Just back from an extraordinary four-day adventure along the Forgotten Highway and on a very flooded Whanganui river. It was a trip that utilised converted golf carts on the disused railway line between Taumaranui and Stratford, through 24 hand dug tunnels, followed by the excitement of a lengthy jet boat river trip. I am buzzing with experiencing this almost overlooked part of the country and the characters we met along the way.

Farming is still the life-blood of the provinces and we passed through numerous paddocks where both sheep and cattle contentedly grazed on lush ground, along with bush walks and stunning scenery. The food we ate everywhere was, for this city focussed food writer, a hark back to the good old ‘Kiwi Kai’ we grew up with decades ago. Hearty plates of meat, potatoes and veggies or salad every night, morning and afternoon teas with home-baked slices and scones, and lunches of make-your-own sandwiches with sliced bread and butter. We did not go hungry! And there was not a styled, fussed over plate with strange ingredients in sight.

On a couple of evenings, lamb shanks were a choice on the menu, always served smothered in thick tasty gravy and resting atop an abundance of mashed potato. It took me back to the nineties, when there was a lovely restaurant, Vinnies, on Jervois Rd, Herne Bay, where one of the most popular dishes was lamb shanks. You could have one shank for $3.95 or two for $5.95, and you could upgrade your dinner with a whole roasted bulb of garlic.

The prices were reflective of lamb shanks being seen at that time as a secondary cut of meat. Now the price of all cuts of lamb is almost out of reach for many households but for a special weekend dinner as the cold weather sets in. Yet, it’s a gratifying and tasty meal and perfect for those lucky enough to have a slow cooker.

I bought hind shanks for this recipe, as they are meatier than the fore shanks, which tend to be much smaller. Both cuts are deeply flavoured, packed with collagen that with slow long cooking melts into a rich, sticky sauce. The hind shanks can easily be served off the bone, as while they’re ideal for a huge appetite, there’s far more meat than most of us desire. Be sure to include lots of vegetables in the dish.

---

Savoury Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

2-4 lamb shanks (see note in accompanying text)
1 large leek, washed well and sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
4 small carrots, peeled and cut into 6cm pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 small aubergine, cut into 4 pieces lengthwise
4 more tbsp oil for the aubergine
1 cup red wine
1 can finely chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
4 tbsps tomato puree
A few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Finely chopped parsley to garnish

Set the oven to 155C. Put a heavy-lidded casserole dish on the stove top and heat the oil until it’s almost smoky. Brown the lamb shanks, turning frequently. Remove them from the pot and keep aside.

Add the leeks, carrots and garlic to the residue in the pot, and lower the heat to cook gently until soft.

When aromatic, but not brown, add the wine and turn up the heat and simmer for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and thyme and stir well together. When bubbling, add the lamb with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Clamp on the lid and place in the oven. Cook for 90 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure it is cooking gently and remains moist and saucy.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the aubergine with salt, pepper and oil and place in an oven tray to cook for 30 minutes.

After the lamb has cooked for 90 minutes, remove from the oven and add the roasted aubergine to the dish. Return the casserole to the oven for another 20 minutes.

Remove when ready to serve, and depending on the size of the shanks, serve one shank per person on mashed potato spooning over the sauce. Dust with chopped parsley.

Note: If the shanks are too large, you can remove the meat from the bones – it should almost fall off and you can serve smaller portions. The two shanks I used in this recipe were enough for four people.