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Lamb Kleftiko

Lamb Kleftiko is a traditional slow-cooked Greek stew made with lamb shanks. It’s normally served with Greek couscous, but can be served with rice or flatbread too.  It’s a lovely comforting dish all year round, perfect for lazy family meals at the weekend or for laid-back dinner parties.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 1 can plum tomatoes or 2 large ripe tomatoes cubed
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 4 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 100 ml chicken stock
  • 100 ml red wine
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp fresh oregano
  • 1 tsp chopped rosemary
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon optional
  • Salt & pepper
  • To serve:
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp chopped parsley

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
  2. Rub the lamb shank with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Fry them in a large casserole dish until they change colour then put aside.
  3. Add more olive oil to the pan and soften onion and garlic. Add all other ingredients, then put the lamb back and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning them regularly.
  4. Put the lid on and place the dish in the middle of the oven. Cook for a couple of hours, turning the shanks every half hour and adding more stock if necessary.
  5. The lamb is cooked when the meat is tender and it comes away from the bone easily.
  6. Serve with lemon zest and chopped parsley scattered on top.