As the chill of winter settles in, there’s nothing more comforting than a slow-cooked dish that warms from the inside out. This rich and flavourful Lamb Shank Osso Buco, served atop creamy polenta and finished with a vibrant gremolata, is the perfect culinary companion to our Fusion V.
The Lamb:
4 lamb shanks
¼ cup oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ cup red wine
2 tins chopped tomatoes
3 cups beef stock
2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
The Gremolata:
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
The Creamy Polenta:
1 cup polenta
4 cups cold water
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Method:
Preheat oven to 140°C.
Coat lamb shanks with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in an oven-proof Dutch oven.
Sear lamb until golden brown on all sides, then set aside.
In the same pot, sauté the carrot, celery and onion until golden and caramelised. Add garlic and tomato paste, stir to coat vegetables. Deglaze with red wine and cook for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, and rosemary. Return the lamb to the pot, cover, and roast for 2½ hours. Uncover and roast for an additional 30 minutes.
For the gremolata, gently heat olive oil and garlic for 1 minute. Cool slightly, then stir in parsley, citrus zest, salt and pepper.
To make the polenta, combine polenta, water and salt in a heavy pot. Simmer, stirring often, for 40 minutes. Stir in butter and Parmesan.
Serve the lamb shanks on a bed of creamy polenta, topped with a generous spoon of gremolata.
This recipe serves four.
