The Table Bay Hotel has shared a lamb shank recipe that can be easily prepared with family or friends.

“Lamb shank is just perfect for those colder winter days where you can put it on the stove, forget about it and come back after a couple of hours to a melt in your mouth meal for the whole family or group of friends,” says Wesli Charles Jacobs, executive sous chef at the hotel.

“It’s a warm flavourful dish which pairs beautifully with barley risotto and butternut,” said Mr Jacobs who believes his love affair with food began as a young boy helping his mom in the kitchen.

Lamb shank with barley risotto and butternut

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 portions 300g lamb shank
1 garlic clove whole
1 bottle of red wine
200ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
100g celery
100g carrot
100g leeks
100g pearl barley
80ml white wine
10g thyme
80g butter unsalted
2 onions peeled
1 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
200g butternut
5g micro pea shoots

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

To begin, season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan on high heat and to your cast iron casserole dish, large enough to snugly fit all of the lamb shanks.

Fry the lamb shank in batches, being careful to not let them colour too much. Add one onion, celery, leeks, carrots and bay leaf once the lamb shanks have been removed from the pot. Cook for 5 minutes then add red wine and chicken stock on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Place all of the browned lamb shanks in the casserole dish and cover with foil the entire casserole dish. Add dish into the oven and cook for 2 hours or till falling slightly off the bone.

Add water to a pot and fill with pearl barley. Allow to cook for 30 minutes or till soft.

In a separate saucepan add butter and sautéed onions. Once onions are translucent add thyme and soft barley. Add white wine and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add fresh cream, Parmesan and season to taste.

Cut butternut into 4cm x 4cm cubes and blanch till soft. Add butter to saucepan and sautéed butternut with salt and pepper to taste.

Once lamb shanks are done, plate shank bone side up with barley risotto next to shank and butternut on top of risotto.

Garnish plate with micro shoots