Braised Lamb Shanks With Caramelized Vegetables

Here is another lamb shank recipe, I absolutely love lamb shanks, I just don't seem to be able to buy them often here in Switzerland. This one tastes wonderful and just falls off the bone, it does not have too many ingredients but they all come together so well. I served it over mash and with roasted honeyed vegetables. I will list the recipe for the vegetables below I usually make this with parsnips, turnips and carrots but I could not get a hold of any, so I just made it with carrots and sweet potatoes instead, so use whatever vegetables you like.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  lamb shanks
•  olive oil
• 2  red onions, sliced thinly
• 1  stalk celery, chopped finely
• 500  ml red wine
• 375  ml  hearty  beef stock
• 1  bulb of garlic
• 3  rosemary sprigs
• 6  fresh thyme sprigs
• 1  bay leaf
• 100  ml  balsamic vinegar
• 2  tablespoons cornflour

• Caramelized Vegetables

• 2  carrots (about200g)
• 500  g sweet potatoes
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  tablespoons honey
• 4  fresh thyme sprigs

Directions

1. Brown lamb shanks all over in a fry pan, remove and set to one side.
2. In a large saucepan, heat some oil, add onion and celery, cook until onion softens.
3. Add wine, stock, garlic bulb, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and vinegar. Return lamb and bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered over a very low heat, for 2-21/2 hours or until lamb is falling off the bone.
4. Remove lamb and keep warm, remove garlic bulb, strain the liquid through a sieve, return liquid to pan.
5. Squeeze garlic from bulb (either use a few sheets of kitchen roll to hold the back and squeeze or place in the fridge to cool quicker.) Either blend or process sauce until smooth.
6. Mix a little water with the cornflour and add to sauce, bring to the boil and stir until mixture thickens.
7. Caramelized Vegetables.
8. You will notice if you read the intro above I usually make this with parsnips, turnips and carrots but I could get a hold of these so I made it with carrot and sweet poatoes instead.
9. Combine all the ingredients, except thyme, in a roasting pan, coat vegetables well, place thyme sprigs on top, and roast 30-40 Min's, covered, in a pre-heated oven 180 degrees celcius or until vegetables are cooked through.
10. Serve over mash with caramelized vegetables.