Braised lamb shanks with zucchini and leeks and parmesan chips

I have been a Gourmet Traveller subscriber for years. I have so many magazines that I have lugged around every time I move. It has been a blessing that now they have an iPad edition. I really didn’t have room for any more and couldn’t bring myself to throw any out. When I see the recipes on offer, I often change them just a little to suit me and this is what I did with this month’s Lamb Shank recipe. I didn’t julienne the zucchini, I just shredded it and I didn’t char grill the leek because I can’t be bothered with my smoke alarm going off!

Anyway I will post the Gourmet Traveller recipe and then it’s up to you whether you change it a bit like I did. The lamb shanks were amazing and so soft and the sauce sticky and delicious. The zucchini and leek was fresh and zesty and the parmesan chips are something everyone needs to indulge in. I am keeping some spare in the cupboard to throw in a salad.

Recipe

50 gm	(2/3 cup) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
50 gm	blanched almonds
6	small leeks, tops trimmed ( I just diced mine)
4	zucchini, cut into julienne on a mandolin
½ cup	(loosely packed) each basil and mint leaves, torn
2 tbsp	lemon juice, or to taste
3 tsp	olive oil
1 tsp	caster sugar
Braised lamb shanks
1 tbsp	grapeseed oil
6	large French-trimmed lamb shanks (350gm each)
1.2 kg	canned whole tomatoes
1 litre	red wine
750 ml	(3 cups) chicken stock
140 gm	tomato paste
3 each	rosemary and thyme sprigs
2	garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½	long red chilli

	1. For braised lamb shanks, preheat oven to 180C. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, season shanks to taste, add to pan in batches and cook, turning once, until browned (2-3 minutes each side). Transfer to a casserole with remaining ingredients, bring to the simmer, cover with a lid and braise in oven until meat is falling from the bone (3 hours). Set shanks aside, skim fat from braising liquid, then reduce over medium heat until slightly thickened (30-40 minutes). Return shanks to braising sauce and keep warm.
	2. Meanwhile, scatter parmesan over a large oven tray lined with baking paper and bake until golden and crisp (8 minutes). Roast almonds on a separate oven tray until golden (6-8 minutes). Set parmesan and almonds aside to cool, then transfer both to a food processor and process until finely chopped.
	3. Heat a char-grill pan over medium-high heat, add leeks and grill, turning occasionally, until completely blackened (15-20 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and steam until tender (2-3 minutes). Remove with tongs (reserve juices), discard blackened layer and set aside.
	4. Add zucchini, herbs, lemon juice, oil and sugar to bowl with leek juices, season to taste, and stir gently to combine. Just before serving, stir in parmesan and almond crumbs. Serve shanks hot topped with braising sauce, with burnt leeks and zucchini salad.