Jamie Oliver's Spiced Lamb Shanks

This is, without a doubt, my all time favourite winter recipe...it's Jamie Oliver's Spiced Lamb Shanks, from his debut cookbook, The Naked Chef. It's packed with veges (not to mention flavour) so really is a complete meal when served with creamy mash or polenta.

I do the shanks in the slow cooker because I love the fall-off-the-bone tenderness this method produces. If you'd like to give that a go, just follow the recipe up to step 8 and then, instead of putting the pan in the oven transfer it all to the slow cooker.

If you get your shanks going in the morning you can enjoy their delicious aroma all day. Absolutely scrummy!

what you need
4 shanks of lamb
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 small dried red chili
tsp dried marjoram, or, oregano
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 large carrot, quartered, finely, sliced
6 sticks celery, quartered, finely, sliced
2 large onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
170 ml dry white wine
6 anchovy, fillets
2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
1 handful fresh basil, roughly, chopped

what to do

1. Season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Smash up the coriander seeds and dried chilli and mix with the dried marjoram. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it in well. Dust the lamb with the flour.
3. Heat a thick-bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides and then remove from the pan.
4. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onions the chopped rosemary and a pinch of salt and sweat them until softened.
5. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to reduce to a syrup.
6. Pour in the white wine and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
7. Add the anchovies (these really seem to intensify the lamb flavour) and then add the tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan and return the lamb to it.
   
8. Bring to the boil, put on the lid and simmer in the oven at 180 C/350 F for 1.5 - 2 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further half an hour.
9. Skim off any fat and taste for seasoning. Finally, stir in a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley.