Slow Baked Lamb Shanks, The Work is Worth it.

I think it is a real shame that lamb is such a rare thing around these parts. Many years ago we were known for our lamb. In recent years, restrictions have fallen into place and lamb is being left behind by farmers for more easily produced animals. There are still local lamb farmers and it is still extremely flavorful but because of its limited availability lamb has become one of the more expensive proteins offered. Lamb has become a special occasion item in my kitchen. Something to be savoured as a treat and believe me this meal was a real treat.

I stuffed and cooked the lamb wrapped in foil with vegetables and liquid so it would stay moist and be packed with flavor. Pairing it with couscous is not something I have done a lot of and it’s not a common side dish in this country but its ability to absorb and take on flavors made it a natural choice. Bringing the whole dish together was a garlic and herb cream sauce that I really enjoyed. It was rich and sumptuous and really added something to the whole plate.

Making a special meal like this is all about thinking it through. You want it to be cohesive. The simplest way to do this is make sure that each component uses the same base flavors, i.e. use lamb and vegetable trimmings from the baked shank to flavor the couscous and use the same herbs and garlic component in the stuffing to make a good sauce. I drew the inspiration for this meal from many places (a little Jamie Oliver and a little Julia Child and a little from my own head) and I took my time. This is a definite Sunday night, slow cooked meal and I urge you to give it a try. It may take a while to prepare and do right but it is worth it!

Ingredients:

Baked Lamb:

2 lamb shanks (go local and go big), trimmed about an 1½“ down and trimmings reserved

6 garlic cloves, peeled (mince 2 and leave 4 whole)

3 tbsp of butter

3-4 sprigs thyme, picked

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 large leek, washed, dark green tops removed and reserved and light white and green parts sliced

1 wineglass of white wine

Couscous

Trimmings from the lamb and veggies (washed greens from the leek, a half onion, a half carrot, one garlic clove)

1 ½ cups couscous

1 ¾ cups chicken stock

2 Thyme sprigs, picked

Quick Garlic Sauce

1 head of Garlic

¾ cup milk

1 sprig thyme, picked

1 ½ Tbsp white rice

1 cup chicken stock

Method:

For the Lamb:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a small bowl mix the minced garlic cloves, butter, 90% of the thyme and some salt and pepper together until thoroughly combined.
• Turn the lamb shank over so the fat end faces you. Make a small incision with a sharp knife just beside the bone and then use your fingers to widen into a little pocket. Divide the butter between the two shanks and stuff tightly. Use your hands to massage the rest of the shanks with a little extra butter. Season the whole shank with salt and pepper.
• Toss the leek, onion, whole garlic and carrot with some salt and pepper, a dab of olive oil and the rest of the picked thyme.
• For the parcels, rip two large sheets of parchment paper and tin foil. Parchment on top and the vegetables divided between the two packages. The lamb sits on top of the veggies.
• Because there is a double layer with the parchment and foil, the lamb will be moisture sealed. As you gather the foil tightly up around the shank, divide the cup of wine between the two to add a little extra moisture in. Yay flavor building! If the foil won’t stay tight, tie with a little kitchen twine.
• Put both parcels onto a tray and slide into the preheated oven. The lamb will take about 2 ½ to 3 hours depending on the size of the shank. I had some big shanks so mine took about 3 hours. Make sure you allow the lamb to rest in the packages for about 10 minutes or more when it is done.

For the Couscous:

• In a large pot, pour a little olive oil and fry the trimmings from the lamb over medium high until nice and golden.
• Add in the vegetables and fry until a little caramelized.
• Pour out as much oil from the pan as you can and then add the thyme.
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
• Shut off the heat and let the flavors infuse.
• When you are almost ready to serve, drain the cooked lamb and veggies from the stock into a new pot and bring to the boil. Pour in the couscous and take off the heat. Cover with a lid and let sit for about 10 mins. Fluff with a fork and you are good to go.

For the garlic sauce:

• Take the whole clove of garlic, slice the top off so you can see the tops of the little cloves. Sprinkle with olive oil and some salt and pepper and wrap in two sheets of foil. Throw it into the oven with the lamb for about 1 hour.
• When the hour is up check the garlic. It will be soft and sweet and light brown. Squeeze out all of the cloves into a small sauce pot and cover with the milk, thyme and a little salt and pepper. Bring to a light simmer and add the rice. Cook at barely a simmer for about 30 mins. Add in a little more milk if you think it is reducing too much.
• Add in the stock and simmer for 10 mins longer. Puree with whole mix. The rice will thicken the sauce a bit but it will still be fairly runny. Keep warm but off the heat.

To bring it all together:

• Serve the lamb on a bed of the delicious and flavorful couscous with some of the braised vegetables from the lamb package. Drizzle your garlic sauce all around and pour yourself a large glass of a sweet, light wine. Eat.