Lemon and Cinnamon Lamb Shanks with a Lemony Gremolata

I shank it up fairly regularly, especially in winter and my slow cooker is my haven for making comfort food.   There really is no need to slave over a hot hot-pot when you can bung a bunch of ingredients and seasonal vegetables into your slow cooker in the morning and come home to a deliciously intense flavoursome and fulfilling meal which has been left to bubble pleasantly throughout the day. All ready to love you tender.

There’s a growing need for meals that alleviate any languid moods which often accompany winter’s chilly weather. Dishes that really sympathize with your hard day’s work and give you a big cuddle to make you feel nourished and pepped up again are a pre-requisite.

Slow cooked meals gladly fulfill a multitude of duties for you including lessening piles of washing up. All you need to do is invest a measly five minutes of hasty ingredient preparation in the morning, to reap an evening of hearty deliciousness.  I’m a big fan of this slow cooked hot pot recipe and chicken saag and think you will embrace them too, try them out and let me know what you think?

Speaking of slow cooker recipes this week I came across a brilliant new Lemon and Cinnamon Lamb Shank recipe to test out in my kitchen.  Hearty lamb shanks respond well to slow cooking and become even more succulent with time.  This delicious creation is from my friend and fellow blogger Sarah Wilson who blogs over here.

It’s a delicious nutrient dense pot of yumminess and flavour and comes from Sarah’s brand new book The I Quit Sugar Slow Cooker Cookbook. 

The book is a compilation of densely nutritious meals that are affordable and easy for families and solos.  Many of the recipes are fuss free so you can throw meals together in the morning and come home to a hearty meal beckoning you with wonderful aromas spreading through your kitchen.

Slow cookers are versatile too, you can create flavoursome curries and hefty stews or even indulge in hearty breakfasts by adding ingredients into the pot before you go to bed.

The I Quit Sugar Slow Cooker Cookbook also features a delicious selection of cakes ‘n’ puds with oozy-chocolate brownies, light and moist cakes and classic family favourites. Yum!

Slow cookers are economical and easy to use, mine required an investment of $30 and I’ve used it successfully now for over five years.  Dishes really benefit from a slow, gentle heat to really bring out the flavours and as the pot is designed for moist-heat cooking, it produces steam which condenses on the lid, then returns to the pot, making it the ideal cooker for curries, shanks, stews, soups and casseroles.

Supercharged Tip: I always use mine on low for a better result!

And now for the delicious recipe.  Enjoy!

Lemon and Cinnamon Lamb Shanks with a Lemony Gremolata

Serves 6-8

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high

Ingredients

• 4-6 lamb shanks (approximately 1.5kg)
• 1 large brown onion, chopped finely
• 2 large carrots, chopped into 2 cm chunks
• 3 stalks celery, chopped into 2 cm chunks (reserve the leaves, chopped)
• 600g baby new potatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup Chicken Stock
• dash of apple cider vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Lemony Gremolata

Ingredients

• 3/4 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped
• 6-8 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• grated zest and juice of 2 lemons, or 2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

What to do:

In The Morning:  Place onion, carrot, celery and potatoes in the slow cooker. Arrange the shanks on top then add the remaining ingredients (except the celery leaves and broccolini) over the lot. Stir a little (no need to mix completely). Put on the lid then cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Before Serving:  In the final 20 minutes, add the celery leaves. Make the Lemony Gremolata by combining all ingredients in a jar and shaking vigorously.

Once you’re ready to serve, remove the shanks and pull the meat from the bones. Serve with the Lemony Gremolata.

Tricky Tip: For a seriously lemony kick add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped preserved lemon when you put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker with the shanks.

Suggested sides:  One serve steamed greens per person (broccolini works well) or Sweet Potato Mash.