Well, that’s August done then.
It’s 1st September, the kids are nearly back at school soon, there’s a slight nip creeping into the mornings and autumn is starting to nose around the corner like an impatient dog waiting to be let in.
Which, as it happens, is rather good timing. Because today also marks the beginning of Love Lamb Week.
And if ever there was a recipe that ticked all the boxes for this particular moment in the calendar, it’s this one.
Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks with Pearl Barley Risotto.
We’re talking lamb shanks marinated overnight in a bottle of Pinot Noir, browned until golden and then slowly braised for three hours with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, herbs and a cheeky star anise thrown in for good measure.
By the end, the lamb should be soft enough to surrender at the slightest prod of a fork.
Alongside comes a pearl barley risotto, slowly cooked with onion, celery, garlic and thyme before being finished with plenty of Parmesan and butter. Because September might only just have arrived, but there’s no point mucking about.
The braising liquor then gets strained, reduced and transformed into a rich red wine gravy to spoon liberally over the whole lot.
Add some roasted carrots, parsnips or celeriac on the side and you’ve got the sort of dinner that makes the prospect of darker evenings feel considerably less depressing.
Autumn incoming. Love Lamb Week underway.
We’re ready for it.
RED WINE BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH PEARL BARLEY RISOTTO
Ingredients
For the lamb
1 bottle red wine - Pinot Noir works particularly well
Olive oil, for frying
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
½ bulb garlic
1 star anise
1 bouquet garni – thyme, bay and rosemary
500ml chicken stock
For the pearl barley risotto
25ml olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 celery stick, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
400g pearl barley
500ml chicken stock
100g Parmesan
50g butter
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
Place the lamb shanks in a bowl, pour over the red wine, cover and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.
The next day, heat the oven to 140°C. Remove the lamb from the wine, reserving the marinade, and pat dry.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a large casserole over a high heat and brown the shanks all over. Remove and set aside.
Lower the heat slightly, add the onion, carrots and celery and gently fry until softened. Add the garlic, star anise and bouquet garni and cook for another couple of minutes.
Return the lamb to the casserole, pour over the reserved wine and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for 3 hours, until the lamb is beautifully tender.
Meanwhile, make the pearl barley risotto. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and add the onion and celery. Turn the heat down and cook slowly for around 20 minutes until soft and caramelised.
Warm the chicken stock separately. Add the garlic and thyme to the vegetables, cook for another couple of minutes and then stir in the pearl barley.
Gradually add the warm stock a couple of ladles at a time, stirring regularly and allowing the barley to absorb the liquid. Continue for around 30 minutes, until the barley is tender and swollen. Stir through the Parmesan, season to taste and dot with the butter. Cover and keep warm.
Once the lamb is cooked, remove the shanks and keep warm. Strain the braising liquor through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables to extract as much flavour as possible.
Place over a high heat and reduce by around two-thirds until you have a rich, glossy red wine gravy. Check the seasoning.
Give the pearl barley a final stir, spoon generously into bowls and sit a lamb shank on top. Finish with plenty of red wine gravy and serve with roasted root vegetables.
Welcome back, autumn.
Leave a comment