Lamb Shanks With Madeira and Olive Sauce

This is one of my favourite lamb dishes. It can be frozen. Used to be a cheap one until the chefs realised lamb shanks are the best part of the lamb.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 250  g  pepperoni, sliced
• 8  lamb shanks (2kg)
• 4  medium onions, chopped (600g)
• 8  garlic cloves, peeled
• 1⁄4 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
• 6  medium egg tomatoes, halved (450g)
• 500  ml  beef stock
• 125  ml madeira wine
• 2  teaspoons dried rosemary leaves
• 1  tablespoon cornflour
• 2  tablespoons water
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a flameproof casserole dish (12 cup capacity) add pepperoni, cook, stirring until browned; drain on paper towel.
2. Add lamb in batches and cook until browned, remove from dish.
3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from dish and add onions and garlic cook stirring until onions are soft.
4. Return pepperoni and lamb to dish, add olives, paste, tomatoes, stock Madeira and rosemary, bake, uncovered in a moderate oven 180dC for 1 1/4 hours or until lamb is tender.
5. Stir in cornflour and water cook stirring until mixture boils and thickens.