Lamb shanks braised with vegetables in white wine

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 lamb shanks (approx. 300 g each)
• 1 garlic bulb(s)
• 2 large carrots
• ½ celeriac
• 4 shallots
• 4 sprigs rosemary, fresh
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 400 ml Lamb stock
• 400 ml white wine, dry, fruity
• 100 ml whipped cream
• some olive oil for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 45 minutes

First, trim the lamb shanks, i.e. remove the skin and excess fat (it’s a bit tedious, but worth it!). This makes the meat even more tender, while still retaining its flavor. Then season with salt and pepper. Finely dice the carrots and celery, peel and halve the shallots. Halve the garlic bulb – please use a fresh bulb here! – crosswise. First, brown the lamb shanks in olive oil in a roasting tin or large, lidded casserole dish. Remove from the pan and briefly fry the vegetables, shallots, and garlic halves in the frying fat. Then add the herb sprigs, deglaze with the lamb stock and white wine, and add the lamb shanks back in. Braise with the lid closed for about 2 hours over low heat, turning occasionally and basting with the sauce. Add more seasoning if necessary. By then, the sauce will have reduced in size. Remove the lamb shanks, add cream to the stock, and thicken with a little thickener if necessary. Serve with the lamb shanks. I serve them with cooked lamb shanks, briefly pan-fried with sea salt and fresh rosemary. The dish doesn’t need any more vegetables, as the diced vegetables retain their wonderful flavor from cooking and therefore remain in the sauce.