Simple Lambshanks with Chickpeas

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This recipe pre-dates my 5 Ingredients philosophy.

Simple Lambshanks with Chickpeas

From Stonesoup

If you don’t have the inclination to soak chickpeas, you could always go for the canned variety and just drain and add to the pot about half an hour before everything is done. But if you’re lucky enough to have a stash of lamb shanks in the deep freeze, just put the chickpeas in to soak when you get the shanks out of the freezer and you’ll be rewarded with the chickpeas taking on the rich flavours of the sauce.

Feel free to play around with the types of veggies you use. If you’re anything like my Irish connection, you’d probably feel like doing away with the chickpeas and subbing in some scrubbed kipfler potatoes and by all means go ahead.

Serves 6
375g (13oz) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or as long as you’ve got)
6 lamb shanks, thawed
3 brown onions, peeled & quartered lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3 medium carrots quartered lengthwise
1 x 400g (14oz) can tomatoes
4C chicken stock
2C white wine, red wine, beer, more stock, or just water
3 sprigs rosemary, optional
3 sprigs thyme, optional
crusty bread, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 160C (320F). Place shanks in a large oven proof casserole dish. Add onion, garlic, carrots, tomatoes and their juices, stock, wine or other liquid and herbs.

2. Drain chickpeas and scatter over the top. Season with approx 1teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven.

3. Bake for 4-5 hours or until shanks are meltingly tender and the meat is starting to fall off the bone. You can either serve now with crusty bread and a green salad or allow to cool. Refrigerate until needed up to about a week.

4. When ready to serve preheat oven to 180C (350F). Skim solidified fat from the surface of the shanks and place shanks, uncovered in the oven for 15-20mins or until heated through. Serve as above.