Don’t be put off by the addition of anchovies to this recipe. They will melt into the dish and add a richness as opposed to an anchovy flavour.
serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 lamb shanks
• flour
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 brown onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5 anchovy fillets
• 250 g (1 plastic tub) swiss brown mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano

 

Method

Preheat oven to 170 C.
Dust shanks with flour seasoned with salt and ground peper. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and brown shanks on each side.
Heat remaining oil and butter in a large casserole and gently cook onion and garlic over a low heat for 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium, add anchovies and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add red wine, allow to bubble for a minute and then add olives, tomato paste, stock, oregano and enough water to cover. Cover with baking paper and lid and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Check occasionally, stir and check liquid levels.
If neccessary remove shanks and reduce sauce to desired consistency or thicken with a little flour mixed in water.

 

Method