Stew for staying in

Red wine lamb shanks with orange mint gremolata

Filling your home with puffs of savoury aromas erupting from the pot as this rustic recipe trembles slowly on the stove will almost be as pleasurable as delving into a plateful. A hearty stew with tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb makes for a simple warming feast when chilly weather sets in. Food to warm the soul.

(serves 4)

¼ cup olive oil

4 lamb shanks

4 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

4 sprigs of thyme

2 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1T tomato paste

2 cups red wine

1 cup beef stock

Gremolata

zest of 1 orange

2T finely chopped mint

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

butter beans or mashed potatoes, to serve

Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan and brown the shanks well. Remove them before sautéing the carrots, onions and celery. Once softened, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer gently for 2-3 hours or until the meat falls off the bone. Make the gremolata by mixing all the ingredients. Serve the lamb shanks with butter beans or mashed potatoes and sprinkle with the gremolata.