Our Lamb Shank Stifado is a rich and hearty classic, slow-cooked to perfection with tender lamb shanks. This nourishing dish is ideal for a relaxed dinner with friends or a cosy family meal - healthy, delicious, and effortlessly impressive. Just add crusty bread or creamy mash and enjoy a wholesome taste of the Mediterranean at home.

Ingredients
4 lamb shanks (+- 1.5kg)
Salt & ground black pepper
600g frozen pearl onions OR shallots, peeled & whole
6 allspice berries
5 whole peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
500ml Carol’s Stock Market Beef Stock
250ml red wine
1x (400g) tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp honey
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves

Serves
4

Method
Pat dry the lamb shanks with paper towel then season well with salt and pepper. Set aside and then heat a large casserole dish over medium high heat, once hot, add a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Arrange the lamb shanks in the hot dish and sear/brown them on all sides. Remove the shanks from the pot and set aside on a clean plate until needed.

Lower heat to medium and add a light drizzle of oil to the pot, then add the whole onions, allspice berries, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. Sauté for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the tomato puree and garlic and cook for another 1 minute.

Pour in the red wine vinegar to deglaze the pot, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any bits, then add the beef stock, red wine, tinned tomato and honey. Finally, add the rosemary, bay leaves, and 1 tsp salt. Give everything a big stir.

Return the lamb shanks to the pot then cover with a lid and bring to a boil. As soon as it’s started boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low or low so that it’s gently simmering, and cook, with the lid on, for about 2 hours.

Check on it occasionally and add a splash of water if needed. Otherwise, if the sauce needs to be thickened, remove the lid nearing the end of the cooking time to allow excess liquid to evaporate.

Tip: You can extend the cooking time if needed to allow the sauce to thicken, you can also increase the heat to medium to help.

Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes.