How To Prepare Lamb Shanks With Sweet Potatoes?

Product(s):

NZ Premium Grass-Fed Lamb Hind Shanks

• 3 Lamb Hind Shanks
• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 2 onions, halved and cut into half moons
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2 red chillies, both deseeded, one chopped and one thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar, plus 1 tsp
• 3 star anise
• 2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, then bruised
• 1.2l lamb stock
• 1 ½ tbsp tomato purée
• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• juice 2 limes
• big handful mint leaves, torn
• handful basil leaves

1. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole, season the shanks, then brown them 2 at a time on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch. Remove the lamb & add the onions. Fry them quite briskly, about 30 secs, add the ginger, garlic & chopped chilli, then turn the heat down & cook for 1 min. Add 1 tbsp sugar, stir, then add the star anise, lemongrass, stock, purée & seasoning. Bring to the boil.
2. Cover & cook in the oven for 1½ hrs, then add the sweet potatoes & cook for 1 hr more. The lamb should be completely tender & almost falling off the bones. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice & 1 tsp sugar to just lift the flavour, then scatter with the mint, basil & the sliced chilli to serve.