For quite a while now, I have been wanting to do a European, smart casual version of a ‘noodle bowl’, and I must say that this is rather wonderful, served either in a mini version as part of a multi course menu, or maxi version for a one or two course meal.
Ingredients
I am using imported New Zealand lamb shanks (IMAGE 1) available online from sweetstuff.in, but if you can get good shanks (aka Nalli) from your local butcher, then by all means use Indian lamb … the braising technique of cooking is virtually fool proof.
YIELD: 3 MAIN COURSE PORTIONS (FOR A THREE COURSE MEAL) OR 8 SMALL PORTIONS FOR A 4 TO 5 COURSE MEAL.
- 2 Imported Lamb Shanks (400g each)
- 50g bacon chopped
- 1 stick of celery roughly chopped
- 1 very large, or 2 medium carrots roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 500ml red wine
- 1 litre chicken stock (2 knorr stock cubes dissolved in 1 litre boiling water)
First and foremost gather your ingredients (IMAGE 2), measure out and prepare for cooking (IMAGE 3).
Method
Then heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot large enough to fit both shanks and cover them with stock (STEP 1), brown the shanks all over (STEPS 2 & 3). Remove them (STEP 4), add the bacon and stir fry until golden brown (STEP 5), and then remove (STEP 6). The bacon is only to add both scent & flavour to the oil. Then add the vegetables and herbs (STEP 7), stir fry until softened, and then add the tomato paste (STEP 8) and stir fry till incorporated and caramelised (STEP 9), then add the wine and reduce/boil for a few minutes (STEPS 10 & 11), and then return the lamb to the pot (STEP 12), pour over the stock (STEP 13), bring it to a simmer (STEP 14), then partially cover the pot (STEP 15), leaving a small open gap, and let the lamb cook for 2.5 to 3 hours.
Then remove the shanks from the broth, and let them cool down (STEPS 16 & 17). Next, ladle out enough broth for each portion, (150 ml approximately for a three course meal main course portion, 75ml for smaller portions), into a separate pot (STEP 18), and reduce the rest of the broth down to a syrupy glaze (STEP 19). Then pass the glaze through a sieve, pushing the vegetables with a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible (STEPS 20 TO 22).
Now remove the lamb shank from the bone just by pulling it with your fingers (STEPS 23 & 24), it will naturally separate into pieces, but if you want them smaller, you can chop them with a knife. Before serving, you will reheat the lamb by adding it to the reserved broth over low heat (STEPS 25 & 26). Then remove it from the broth and toss it in the re-heated reserved glaze, just enough to lightly coat (STEPS 27 to 29).
Then boil some spaghetti, drain and toss it in a pot in some butter, adding salt to taste (STEPS 1 TO 6).
And finally to serve, twirl the pasta around a fork and untwirl it (remember, practice makes perfect), onto your serving soup plate, then add the lamb on top of the pasta, garnish pour the broth around, garnish with micro-herbs and voila, yet another winsome dish.
Above: Final Image