Slow cooked lamb knuckle

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Dust the knuckles with seasoned flour. Add a splash of olive oil to a heavy based

casserole pot (such as Le Creuset) and brown the knuckles well. You

will have to do this in batches otherwise they will stew instead of brown.

Set the knuckles aside. In the same pot, add the butter, another glug of olive

oil if necessary, the Lamb Rub and the onions. Sauté the onions until they

are translucent. Add the carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for a few more

minutes. Before it starts burning, pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan.

Add the knuckles, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off

so that some of the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and

stock. Season well with salt and pepper. Make sure the lid is firmly on before

placing in the pre-heated oven for at least 2 hours. 3 hours would be even

better if you have the time.

Check the seasoning and serve on creamy polenta or mashed potato. Garnish

with roughly chopped Italian parsley, lemon zest and shavings of parmesan.

TIP: To help prevent onions from burning, sauté with a good pinch of salt. This

draws moisture out of the onions, so that they start steaming instead. Placing

the lid on the pan or pot also does the trick

Wine suggestions

There really isn't anything more hedonistic than sitting down to this kind of meal with a bottle of classy red - relatively full bodies, and aged in French Oak. Cloof's 2003 Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Saivignon/Merlot is truely delicious. Or, push out the boat with a new style Rioja, like Culman from Bodgas Lan.

Slow cooked lamb knuckle

Ingredients