Braised wallaby shanks

Chef Mark Olive puts an Australian twist on the traditional lamb shank by using wallaby and Australian native spices. Kutjera, also known as desert raisin or bush tomato, is a sweet and tangy native spice that works well in stews like this.

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  2:30 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
• 4 (about 600 g) wallaby (see Note) or lamb shanks
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large carrot, peeled, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 small parsnip, peeled, core removed, chopped
• 1 small swede or turnip, peeled, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 10 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp ground kutjera
• 2 tbsp ground saltbush seeds
• 2 tbsp ground pepperleaf
• 1 tsp dried native thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs each oregano and rosemary
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 850 ml can tomato juice
• 500 ml (2 cups) red wine
• 250 ml (1 cup) beef stock
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• mashed potato, to serve

Drink 2010 Spring Seed 'Scarlet Runner' Shiraz ($18).

Instructions

Preheat oven to 170°C. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Coat shanks in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 60ml oil in a large, heavy-based roasting pan over high heat and brown shanks, turning, for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Wipe pan clean, return to high heat and heat remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add vegetables, onion, garlic, spices and herbs, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, juice, wine, stock and tomato paste. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, return shanks to pan and simmer for 4 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. Cover and transfer pan to oven. Bake for 2½ hours or until meat is falling off the bone; add water if necessary. Serve shanks with mashed potato.

Photography by Derek Swalwell.

As seen in Feast magazine, Jan 2012, Issue 5. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.