Lamb shanks

Lamb shanks braised with muscadel and served with spicy stewed dried fruit on a bed of creamy samp and a pistachio pesto

Click here for the downloadable recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

1 cup White wine

2 tablespoons Olive oil

1 medium Onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium Carrots, peeled and small diced

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1 medium Leek, washed and finely chopped

1 Bouquet garni (bay leaf, sprig thyme, sprigs parsley)

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon Coriander seeds

Lamb

1 kg Lamb shanks (about 500g each)

3 tablespoons Olive oil

2 tablespoons Flour

2 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Ground pepper

1 large Onion, peeled and cut into chunks

2 large Carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 stalks Celery, cut into chunks

1 leek Leek, washed and thickly sliced.

1 tin (410g) Crushed tomato

2 cups Lamb/chicken stock

2 sprigs each Rosemary, thyme, parsley

1 teaspoon Black peppercorns

Stewed Fruit

2 Apples (Granny Smith)

1 tablespoon Butter

1/3 cup Orange juice

6 Dried figs

6 Dried pitted dates

6 Dried Apricots

2 tablespoons Golden raisins

1 cup Fresh mint, washed dried and finely shredded

METHOD

Prepare the marinade

1. Mix the wine, oil, onion, carrots, garlic and leeks together in a large heavy ove proof dish. Add the shank to the marinade, sprinkle with the cumin and coriander seeds and toss to coat. Add the bouquet garni and marinate shanks overnight.

Prepare the lamb

2. Remove the shanks from the marinade and reserve. Transfer the shanks with tongs to a plate. Pat shanks dry. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together and roll the shanks in the seasoned flour.

3. Pour the marinade through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve the liquid, vegetables and bouquet garni.

4. Set the Instapot to sauté, on the high heat setting. Add the oil when it is hot, brown the shanks in two batches turning the meat to brown on both sides for about 10 minutes. Set aside on a plate.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the Instapot and add the onion, carrots, celery and leeks. Sauté until the vegetables are brown and begin to soften scraping loose the browned bits, about 10 mins.

6. Add the reserved vegetables from the marinade to the Instapot and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes.

7. Add the reserved marinade to the Instapot and deglaze by loosening the bits on the base. Add the bouquet garni, shanks, tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Add the rosemary, thyme and parsley. Simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced by half about 20 minutes.

8. Close the Instapot and move the vent up to SEALING POSITION. Set the Instapot to pressure cook on HIGH (turn off the keep warm function) and set it for 50 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Natural Pressure Release (NPR), which will take around 20 minutes. The pressure valve will drop down once it has released all the pressure.

9. Preheat the air fryer to 190°C on the roast setting. Remove the lamb shanks and place in an ovenproof container that will fit into the air fryer. Add the vegetables and remaining cooking liquid to the container spreading it around the shanks cook for 20-30 minutes or until brown and crispy.

10. Serve with creamy samp and stewed dried fruit.

Prepare the stewed fruit

11. While the shanks are braising, peel and core the apples and cut them into slices about 0,5 cm thick. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the Instapot and cook the apples on the sauté setting for about 2 minutes. Add the orange juice and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the dried figs, dates, apricots and raisins and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the shredded mint and mix with the fruit and serve separately with the lamb and vegetables and creamy samp and pistachio pesto.