Braised lamb or pork knuckles with fennel and pepper

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 bulbs of fennel, medium-sized and with stems
• 4 lamb or pork knuckles, nice and meaty
• n. B. Salt
• n. B. Pepper, black, ground
• 750 ml wine, white, dry
• 75 ml olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed (more if using lamb)
• 15 grains of allspice (may be less for lamb)
• 1 tbsp peppercorns, whole
• 4 m.-sized potatoes

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 15 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 35 minutes

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Separate the fennel bulbs from the stems. Trim the bulbs, keeping their root ends intact, then quarter them; set aside. Cut the stems into approximately 1cm long pieces (about two cups). Pat the shanks dry and season well with salt and pepper. Place the fennel stalks, shanks, wine, oil, garlic, allspice, and whole peppercorns in a large, covered roasting pan. Braise with the lid on in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, add the quartered fennel bulbs and potatoes, and stir gently. Return the pan to the oven with the lid on and braise for another 30 minutes. Then remove the lid, stir gently, and continue braising until the shanks are golden brown and the vegetables are cooked through – about 45 minutes. Then serve the meat with the vegetables and braising juices. I’ve cooked this with lamb and pork, and both are delicious. Side dishes are a matter of personal taste.