Lamb Shanks With Anchovy Food

SLOW-ROAST SHOULDER OF LAMB WITH ANCHOVY & ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Finely chop the rosemary, then mix with the garlic, capers, anchovies, olive oil and zest and juice of 1 lemon, reserving the used lemon halves. Make 3-4 slashes across the top of the shoulder, then rub the rosemary mixture all over the lamb.
• Scatter the onion into the base of a large roasting tin, cut the remaining lemon in half, squeeze the juices into the tin, and place all the used lemon halves in the tin with the onions. Place the lamb on top and roast for 1 hr. Pour in the wine and roast for a further 3 hrs until the meat is really tender. Leave to rest for 15 mins then serve, pulled into chunks rather than carved, with any pan juices.

LAMB SHANKS WITH ANCHOVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/300F/Gas 4.
• Season the lamb shanks with the pepper. Brown them in a casserole with a little olive oil.
• When the shanks are slightly browned add the roughly chopped onions and garlic. Chop up two of the anchovy fillets and add to the casserole. Tear in the rosemary and bay leaves. Then add the stock and the wine and bring to a simmer.
• When simmering, put the lid on and bake in the oven for two hours, with a little turn of the shanks halfway through.
• Remove the shanks to a serving dish and leave to rest in a warm oven.
• Meanwhile tend to the sauce by adding two more chopped anchovies and a handful of chopped parsley. Bring the sauce to the boil, check the seasoning on then pour over the resting lamb shanks and serve.

BRAISED LAMB WITH ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Heat the drippings in a large casserole pan over a medium heat. When it is smoking hot, add the lamb and brown all over.
• Add the herbs and garlic to the casserole and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat everything in the fat.
• Sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook over a high heat for a minute or two, being careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add the vinegar and wine, and allow the liquid to bubble up, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the casserole.
• Reduce the heat and simmer the lamb for about 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
• Just before serving take a ladle of juices from the pan, and mash the anchovy fillets into it before pouring back over the lamb.

SPICED SLOW-COOKED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Smash up the coriander seeds and dried chile and mix with the dried marjoram. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it in well. Dust the lamb with the flour.
• Heat a thick-bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides and then remove from the pan. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onions, chopped rosemary, and a pinch of salt and sweat them until softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to reduce to a syrup. Pour in the white wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the anchovies (these really seem to intensify the lamb flavor) and then add the tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan and return the lamb to it. Bring to a boil, put on the lid and simmer in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 1/2 hour. Skim off any fat and taste for seasoning. Finally, stir in a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley.

SLOW-COOKER LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• If you need to preheat your slow cooker then turn it on now. In a large hot frying pan, add half the oil and brown the lamb shanks all over, then transfer them to the slow cooker. This will take you about 10 mins and you may need to do it in batches. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and fry the onion gently until it starts to turn translucent, then stir in the tomato purée and flour and cook for a minute.
• Add the red wine and bring it to a boil, stirring the flour and purée into the wine until you have a smooth sauce around the onion pieces. Tip into the slow cooker. Pour the stock into the same pan and bring it to a boil, then tip into the slow cooker. Add the carrots garlic, bay leaves, thyme and parsley stalks to the slow cooker and put the lid on. Cook on low for eight hours or on high for four hours. Turn the shanks over at some point during the cooking.
• After eight hours the lamb should be tender and starting to fall off the bone. If the sauce is too thin lift out the lamb and carrots and tip the sauce into a pan, boil it rapidly until it starts to thicken before adding the parsley.

LAMB SHANKS WITH ANCHO CHILI-HONEY GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat.
• Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper.
• Add to skillet; cook until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer lamb to plate.
• Add onion and garlic to pot; saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add tomato puree, stock, 2 ancho chilies, cumin seeds and bay leaf.
• Bring to boil.
• Return lamb to pot.
• Cover pot tightly, place in oven and cook until lamb is very tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Discard bay leaf.
• (Lamb shanks can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill).
• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Place remaining 3 ancho chilies in large mixing bowl.
• Pour 2 cups boiling water over.
• Let stand until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Drain, reserving 1/2 cup soaking liquid.
• Mix honey, orange peel and remaining 1 tablespoon water in heavy small saucepan.
• Bring to boil.
• Transfer honey mixture to blender.
• Add chilies and reserved 1/2 cup soaking liquid.
• Puree until smooth.
• Using tongs, transfer lamb to heavy large baking pan; reserve cooking liquid.
• Add 1/2 cup honey mixture to lamb cooking liquid.
• Brush lamb liberally with remaining honey mixture.
• Bake until lamb is heated through and honey mixture forms glaze, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, puree lamb cooking liquid in blender in batches until smooth.
• Transfer to heavy medium saucepan.
• Bring to simmer.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mix sour cream, yogurt and cilantro in medium bowl.
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
• Spoon lamb cooking liquid onto each of 4 plates.
• Top with lamb shanks.
• Drizzle with yogurt mixture and serve.