There are few things which people will sell you for half nuthin' these days, but one of the most precious foods which you can practically take off your butcher's hands is the delicious lamb shank. We will pay a small fortune for leg of lamb - the hind leg - but the fore leg remains cheap.
This lack of expense is surprising, for every modern chef's book must boast a signature dish involving lamb shanks, and many stellar restaurants proudly serve this once humble food. You can, then, expect to pay about £1 per shank, and a shank will produce enough meat for two people, unless you are very hungry, in which case allow one shank each, which is what most recipes call for.
Cooked long and lingeringly, the lamb shank comes out of the pot with the meat falling off the bone, and sweet as a kiss. It is a friend to any manner of staples - a cheesy polenta; a big spoonful of creamy mashed spuds; grains of barley cooked in the pot with it; a dish of Puy lentils to accompany it on the side - and it is satisfying food.
The basic technique involves browning the shank in oil, then adding liquids and other ingredients and simmering for a long time. But be aware that the browning can be a little complicated due to its awkward shape, and you might find it easier to cook your shanks in the way suggested by Peter Gordon, in the recipe for Braised Lamb Shanks with Moroccan Spices, in which he roasts the shanks in a hot oven.
The first recipe is my own, and came about from taking onions and tomatoes as basic soulmates for the shank, then deciding to add in the olives for the sharpness they contribute, adding a pleasing edge to the sweet taste.
Braised shank of lamb with white wine, baby onions, tomatoes and olives
2 lamb shanks
1 tablespoon olive oil
440g tin of tomatoes
225g (1/2 lb) baby onions
Half bottle white wine
Handful of black olives
Heat the olive oil in a deep casserole and brown the lamb shank, turning it over to brown all sides. If the oil colours, discard it and add fresh oil to the casserole before continuing.
Toss in the baby onions, and add four whole tomatoes from a tin, but no juice. Pour in half a bottle of white wine, which will sizzle. Cover the dish, and place in an oven preheated to 180 C.
Cook for about an hour to an hour and a half, until the lamb meat effectively falls off the bone. Check from time to time that the moisture level is adequate, for this dish should produce a rich gravy. If it falls too low, top up with cold water. Turn off the oven, toss in a good handful of pitted black olives, and leave the dish to rest in the warm oven. Check seasoning just before serving.
Serve with a herbed mash, or a white puree (white turnips, celeriac and garlic added to potatoes as they cook). You can pull the meat off the bone and dress with the sauce, which will be red and freckled with olives, with the tomatoes still largely intact (don't break them up). Or serve an entire shank to each person if the shanks are small.
Braised lamb shanks with pearl barley and root vegetables
Eugene Callaghan, of La Marine Restaurant, in Rosslare, is one of the best bistro cooks in the country, and here is his classic lamb shank dish, as recorded in Paul and Jeanne Rankin's book Gourmet Ireland 2.
Serves 4
4 lamb shanks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pearl barley
300ml (10 fl oz) lamb stock or water
1 fresh thyme sprig or half teaspoon dried thyme
1 fresh parsley sprig
1 teaspoon salt
150 g (5 oz) carrots, roughly chopped
1 large leek, cut into eight pieces
4 small potatoes, quartered
2 small onions, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 heaped tablespoons parsley leaves, blanched and refreshed, to garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 160 C/325 F/Gas 3. Ask your butcher to trim off any excess fat and saw the knuckles from the shanks. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the lamb shanks until nicely coloured on all sides. Transfer them to a large, flameproof casserole-dish and add the barley, stock or water, herbs and salt. Cover tightly with foil and a lid and cook in the pre-heated oven for one and a half hours.
Remove the casserole from the oven, add the vegetables and a little more water if necessary. Season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper, then cover the casserole and return it to the oven for a further hour.
Remove from the oven and check that the lamb is very tender and almost falling off the bone. If you think that it's not quite ready, return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.
Transfer the lamb to a warmed serving tray and cover while you finish the braised vegetables. Bring the dish back to a simmer on top of the stove, adding more water to give you a nice consistency if necessary. Add the blanched parsley leaves and adjust the seasoning to taste.
To serve, ladle the braised vegetables on to large warmed plates and place the shanks on top.