Ingredients

Method

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 large lamb shanks
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 cups good-quality beef stock
• 2 cups water
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 x 250 g Woolworths frozen all-butter puff pastry sheets
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 2 T cumin seeds
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Method

Ingredients

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Brown the lamb shanks evenly all over. Remove from the saucepan and add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and rosemary and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir through the tomato paste, then add the stock and water. Return the lamb shanks to the saucepan, ensuring that the liquid just covers the shanks. Add more water if necessary.

Season, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1½ hours, or until the meat just begins to pull away from the bone. Remove the shanks from the liquid and allow to cool.

Increase the heat to medium and reduce the liquid to a quarter to make a gravy-like sauce. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Remove the frozen puff pastry sheets from the freezer and allow to thaw for 10 minutes. Place 1 lamb shank in the centre of 1 puff pastry sheet and fold up the corners to secure the shank. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg. Sprinkle over 1 T cumin seeds and some of the salt. Do the same with the remaining lamb shank.

Place the pastry-covered shanks on a greased baking tray and bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and puffed up.

Remove from the oven, place on a serving dish and pour over the gravy. Serve immediately.

Cook's note: If you want to master one unforgettable recipe, this is the one.

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