Osso Bucco (our way)

When I cook it tends to be less of an exercise in precise measuring and recipe-following, and more of a creative combining of sloshes and dashes – this makes it impossible to replicate a dish twice, or to share a recipe beyond my family (who I’ve inadvertently also taught to cook this way, much to the horror of their recipe-wielding partners!), but I’ve done my best here to pin down what Osso Bucco looks like in our house. It’s traditionally done with cross-cut veal shanks, but round here we do a version using our lamb shanks just as they come.

Ingredients:

400gm (approximately) lamb shanks
Carrots
Leeks
Zest of one lemon
1/2 cup beef stock
Red wine
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method:

Place lamb in a casserole dish on a bed of carrots, leeks, and two stalks of fresh rosemary. Grate over the lemon zest and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. We love the Original Salt from Season Gourmet Sea Salts  – it’s one of the best pre-mix salts we’ve come across. Add a good slosh of red wine and the remaining liquid ingredients.

Cover and place in the oven for around 4 hours at 110 degrees. Rest the lamb while you prepare your choice of side then return, uncovered, to the oven at around 200 degrees to brown and slightly caramelise the lamb. This hearty dish is great with risone, smashed potatoes, or polenta – just add a dollop of pesto, horseradish, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Best enjoyed by a fire with a wintry wind howling outside.