What a combination of tastes!
Ingredients
- 8 Connemara Hill lamb shanks (about 475g each)
- 50g plain flour
- 2 tblsp sunflower oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 375ml dry white wine
- 750ml chicken stock
- 4 canned anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 tblsp tomato purée
- 2 tblsp roughly chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- For the Persillade
- 4 tblsp finely chopped fresh mint
- 2 tblsp finely chopped garlic
- 2 tblsp finely grated lemon rind
- 2 canned anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- For the Nettle Mash
- 1.2kg floury potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered if large
- 75g butter
- 100ml milk
- 50 tender young leaves, washed well and roughly chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Place a really large casserole pan on a high heat. Season the lamb shanks and toss them in the flour to coat. Add the oil to the pan and working in batches, sear the lamb shanks all over until golden brown, transferring them to a large plate as you go.
- Next, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, celery and carrots to the pan. Sauté for 6-8 minutes until soft but not coloured, adding the garlic for the last minute. Mix in a little bit of flour to thicken the sauce. Increase the heat and then add the wine, allowing it to bubble down for a minute or two. Now add the tomato purée, then the rosemary and bay leaf. Then add the anchovies and season well. Return the lamb shanks to the pan, pour over the stock and cover with a tight fitting lid. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a very gentle simmer for about 3 hours. Turn the shanks occasionally during this time.
- Meanwhile, prepare the persillade. Simply toss the mint, lemon zest, parsley, garlic and anchovies together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until serving.
- Half an hour before serving, prepare the mash. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Warm the milk and butter in a small pan until just coming to the boil and remove. Drain the potatoes well and mash until smooth with the milk and butter mixture. Stir the nettles through to wilt completely and season to taste. Cover and keep warm.
- Once cooked the meat from the lamb shanks should be really tender and just falling off the bone. Carefully remove the shanks to a large plate and keep warm covered in foil. To serve, spoon a large dollop of creamy nettle mash into the centre of each serving bowl or plate. Sit a lamb shank proudly on top, spoon the sauce over and scatter generously with persillade.
