Lamb Shank Ragu With Mascarpone And Mint Pesto
Ingredients
RAGU
50g streaky bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 lamb shanks
½ cup red wine
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
½ cup beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
1-2 cm piece of Parmesan rind
1 tsp treacle salt and pepper
1 sprig of rosemary
MINT PESTO
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup parsley
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup almonds
½ cup grated Parmesan
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Tatua Mascarpone
Method
- In a heavy pan or Dutch oven heat the oil and gently fry the bacon, onion, garlic, carrot and celery for five minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Remove from the pan and set aside, adding in the shanks to brown on all sides. Once the shanks are browned add the wine to deglaze the pan.
- At this stage, if using a Dutch oven, put the cooked vegetables back in along with all the other ingredients. If you have been using a pan now transfer the cooked shanks, reduced wine and all the other ingredients into an oven proof dish. Cover and cook in a low oven (150°C) for 3-4 hours. When cooked the meat should literally fall off the bone.
- Place Mint Pesto ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Shred the meat through the sauce and serve tossed through cooked pasta, topped with a generous dollop of Tatua Mascarpone and mint pesto.
Tip: Double or triple this recipe and freeze the leftovers for a super quick meal or a great pie filling. Serves 4-6
