"How many?" "Four," I said. And with that, the butcher unhooked his longest, largest saw, picked up a big curved knife, and walked off to the cold room. The Small Girl was fascinated. Five minutes later her eyes opened wide as he returned with what I'd asked for: four huge meaty lamb shanks, practically bursting out of their bag.
At this stage of the year, the lambs of North Cork - rather than yielding up petite single-serve forelegs - are producing something more along the lines of dinosaur hocks. The small Girl really wasn't sure what she'd be expected to eat...
She didn't mind sharing though. Especially when lunch for four happened to become lunch for seven. The best way of feeding a gang without hassle? Get yourself a decent quartet of lamb shanks and you're set. Even more especially when the "summer" day turns out cold and damp and dull.
Lamb is the taste of home. My mother makes a glorious roast for Sunday lunch, especially if one of my far-flung family has returned, however briefly, to the fold. Walking into the house and smelling roasting lamb is an indication that we’re all together, all sharing in the banter and veg chopping and chat. On this particular lunch day, she was away in the sun; instead of gathering at home, my sister, brother and father came to our cottage to share a taste of family tradition, reinvented.
I love the way I can play with lamb: a Moroccan-style lamb and apricot tagine to warm up a winter night; cumin-spiked lamb burgers stuffed into pita breads and drizzled with sriracha yoghurt; a butterflied leg to cook on a barbecue and serve sweetly pink; or a fast-breaking lamb, chickpea and lentil harira. It’s a meat that you can take in so many different directions – and I often do.
Ingredients:
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- a knob of butter
- salt and pepper
- 3 carrots, cleaned and sliced into batons
- 6 shallots, peeled
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 bouquet garni - a fresh bay leaf, sprig of thyme and some parsley stems, tied together
- 500 ml stock or water
Gremolata:
- Handful of flat-leaf parsley
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 orange
Method:
- Heat the oil in a large hob-proof casserole dish then add a knob of butter.
- Add the lamb shanks and brown on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the meat and add the carrots and shallots to the casserole dish. Allow to brown for a couple of minutes then sprinkle in the flour.
- Mix this for 1 minute then return the lamb shanks to the dish along with the bouquet garni and the stock or water. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat.
- Leave to simmer on a very low heat for at least 1½ hours, turning the shanks occasionally. The meat should be very tender after this time.
- To make the gremolata: Finely chop the parsley leaves, crush the garlic clove and grate the orange zest, then mix together.
- Serve the shanks with vegetables and scatter the gremolata over the top.
There are a wide range of summer lamb BBQ dishes on www.tastyeasylamb.ie.
