Roast lamb shank with lemon, dill and fennel

Tender, aromatic lamb with a perfect balance of herbs and citrus, complemented by the slightly bitter cavolo nero, creating a hearty and satisfying meal.

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

This recipe is high in protein and contains vegetables, but also has a significant fat content from the lamb and olive oil (nutri-score).

Ingredients

• Lamb shanks, 2
• Fresh dill, 40g, chopped (plus 2 tbsp for later use)
• Garlic cloves, 4, crushed
• Lemon, 1, zested and thinly sliced
• Olive oil, 4 tbsp
• Onion, 1, cut into 6
• Bay leaf, 2
• Fennel bulb, 1, cut into 6
• Lamb stock, 500ml
• Cavolo nero cabbage, 1-2 heads, stem removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Prepare the Lamb

• Preheat the oven to 220C/220C Fan/Gas 7.
• Slash the lamb shanks around the bone, creating ½ cm deep rings. Don’t cut through the bone.
• Mix chopped dill, garlic, lemon zest, and half the olive oil in a small bowl.
• Rub this mixture into the slashes on the lamb.
• Season generously with salt and black pepper.

Roast the Lamb

• Place onions, bay leaves, 2 tbsp dill, and fennel in a roasting tin.
• Add lamb shanks and sliced lemons to the tin.
• Pour in the lamb stock.
• Roast for 30-40 minutes until colored.
• Cover with foil, reduce heat to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3½.
• Continue roasting for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Prepare the Cavolo Nero

• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil.
• Blanch cavolo nero for 2-3 minutes, then drain.
• Heat remaining oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
• Sauté cavolo nero, onions, and fennel for 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in lemons and dill juices from the roasting pan.

Serve

• Allow lamb to rest before slicing.
• Place sautéed cavolo nero and onions on the base of the serving plate.
• Top with lamb shanks.
• Garnish with cooked lemon slices.

Nutri-score Health Check

This recipe receives a Nutri-Score of C, indicating it’s moderately healthy. The score reflects a balance between nutritious and less healthy elements. On the positive side, it’s rich in protein from the lamb, and includes vegetables like cavolo nero, onions, and fennel, providing fiber and vitamins. The use of herbs like dill adds flavor without extra calories. However, lamb is a fatty meat, and the recipe uses a significant amount of olive oil, which increases the overall fat content. To improve the score, consider trimming excess fat from the lamb before cooking, using less oil, and increasing the proportion of vegetables to meat.