Lamb Shanks in Dijon Mustard Sauce

A hearty dish inspired by Barry Tuckley at the Caulfield RSL, Melbourne.

8 French-cut lamb shanks, (ask the butcher to do it for you)
2 medium onions, roughly cut
3 or 4 sticks of celery, roughly cut
2 leeks, roughly cut
4 or 5 medium carrots, roughly cut
1 litre or so chicken stock
250 mls cream (optional)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Stir fry onions, celery, carrot and leek pieces in the oil over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes.
Add the litre of chicken stock and lamb shanks. Add more chicken stock if shanks are not covered. Bring to the boil and simmer very very slowly for around 3 hours (or until cooked).Leave to cool in stock and refrigerate. This is best done the day before needed.
Next day, remove solidified fat from top of the mixture then gently re-heat.
Drain shanks and vegetables (keeping warm), and pour the liquid into a wide pan.
Bring to the boil, add Dijon-style mustard and reduce by two-thirds. It should be a syrupy sauce.
Remove from heat and whisk in cream and egg yolk. (Do not re-boil once egg is added, it will curdle). Serve shanks on creamy mash potato with vegetables of your choice, and cover in mustard sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serves 4

Wine suggestion: Grenache

NOTE:
Special-K 10Aug03 We made this last night and it was definitely worth the time and effort. Instead of letting the stock cool overnight we took the shanks out after about 2 1/2 hours and placed them in a warm oven covered in foil while we reduced the stock. I thought it might be a bit fatty because we hadn't let the fat solidify so it could be removed but it was delicious! We served it with a nice mound of creamy mash and crispy snow peas.