The oven is broken. The thermostat is trashed, so the wretched thing will only heat up the tiniest little amount. And there's me with lamb shank to braise. Bugger.I spent a fair amount of time rooting around for a recipe that didn't involve an oven but included the ingredients I had to hand. This dish is basically cobbled together out of the few that I found. The shanks were seared quickly, as where the aubergines, in some olive oil and then slow cooked with tomatoes, harissa and a little stock for an hour or so, with a bay leaf for good measure. I threw in some red lentils about half way through and about 5 minutes before the whole thing was ready threw in some spinach. It was garnished with flat parsley, toasted pine nuts and a tiny bit of mint.
It would have been better in the oven.
Oh yeah, what happened to lamb shanks? I mean three four years ago they were just about in every recipe book and on every menu. They've all but vanished of late. A pity, such lovely sweet, tender and delicately fatty meat.
6 comments:
Not bad for rooting and cobbling! Looks delish. I finally requested lamb shanks when I had the last round of lambs butchered, but I haven't actually cooked them yet. I am inspired!
Farmgirl, cook the shanks. Heaven on a plate. We have local organic lamb at the farmers' market -- but then, you raise your own!
MG, what makes your dish so yellow? Is there turmeric in your harissa? I actually do cook my lamb shanks on the stove, not in the oven. Have I utterly failed? :-(
(Oh darn, your photos are so nice.)
Farmgirl: Oh man, I wish I had my own lambs to butcher, that'll be some tasty shanks, get cooking girl!
Cookie: Hmm, I have no idea about the yellow. Maybe, the tomato and lentil combination. The only reason I say they would have been better in the oven is because I wasn't really set up for doing them on the stove. My pot's weren't big enough! I'm sure yours rule!
What a fabulous photo and I'm sure tasted amazing. Looks like the oven breaking down was actually quite a good thing - necessity being the mother of invention.....
Blast the oven but what lovely slow-cooked lamb shanks - hi, just discovered you when skimming other food blogs - really like your style of writing - keep it up, I will definitely return for more :)
Hi there
Just popped along by chance - and you are suffering the same problem as me! My oven is wrecked and I'm a chef and food writer, so I've got nothing to practice in! Top recipe though, I love lamb shanks. Keep in touch.
Cheers
David
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