Not everyone made sourdough during the lockdown. Some of us explored the glorious world of slow cooking and revelled in discovering the deep, rich flavours of often overlooked cuts of meat made tender by time.

We’re converts now, looking forward to the cooler months when we can get the tools out. It helps that there’s such a wonderful range of options, from high-tech standalone slow cookers to heritage cast-iron Dutch ovens guaranteed for three generations.

Then there’s the Le Creuset range, coveted by cooks since ages ago for their quality and also their good looks. Hearts and pumpkins have joined the range of classic round casseroles.

So let’s get started! Here’s a delicious slow-cook recipe to warm up your winter. Bon appétit!

The Middle East meets the Canterbury Plains in this mouth-watering Le Creuset recipe. Serves 4 - 6.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 4 small lamb shanks, trimmed
• salt and pepper
• 20g store-bought Moroccan or tagine seasoning mix
• 4 baby onions, peeled & halved
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cinnamon quill
• ½ tsp dried chilli
• 50g tomato paste
• 1x 400g tin of
• whole tomatoes
• 500ml beef stock

Method

1. Heat a 24cm casserole with a good splash of olive oil. Meanwhile, season the shanks. Once the casserole is hot enough, sear off the lamb shanks in batches until evenly golden. Place in a large dish and sprinkle with the Moroccan seasoning and a little extra olive oil, then toss to coat.
2. Preheat the oven to 160deg. In the same casserole, drizzle a little more olive oil. On a medium heat, sauté the onion halves until golden and add the garlic, cinnamon and chilli. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook out for 2 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes and the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add the seasoned lamb shanks to the liquid, making sure they are submerged.
3. Put the lid on the casserole and place it in the oven for 3-4 hours until the meat falls off the bone, checking that the shanks are submerged throughout the cooking process to avoid the meat becoming tough or dried out. You can serve the shanks as they are on the bone or remove them from the casserole and allow to rest for 30 minutes before pulling them apart with forks and placing them back in the sauce.
4. Check the sauce for seasoning as it will have gained flavour in the cooking process. Adjust if necessary.

To serve

Flatbreads or pita breads, toasted. Fresh herbs (eg. mint, basil, parsley.) Zesty cucumber yoghurt.

lecreuset.co.nz