George Calombaris's Recipes

Yoghurt and mastic braised lamb shanks, olive oil pomme pures
Serves 4  

Ingredients
4 tablespoons oil
4 lamb shanks
8 golden shallots
2g mastic
6 springs fresh thyme
60ml white wine
1 clove garlic, crushed
Zest of lemon
60ml Attiki honey
3L chicken stock
500g thick Greek yoghurt
4 portions olive oil pomme puree

Method
1. Heat oil in a heavy based frying pan to medium-high heat and sear lamb shanks until dark and caramelised.
2. Remove from Pan and place in deep baking tray.
3. Roughly dice shallots and place in the baking dish with the lamb.
4. Then add mastic, garlic, thyme, white wine and lemon zest. Drizzle the honey over and pour on the chicken stock until lamb and vegetables are just covered. Do not pour too much stock in the tray.
5. Finally, spread the yogurt over the liquid and lamb and place grease proof paper over the yoghurt and cover the whole tray with foil.

6. Place in a preheated over, 120ºC and cook for approximately 10 hours, or until tender.
7. Once cooled, take the lamb shanks out of the braising tray and keep warm. Strain the liquid through a fine chinois and place in an approriate sized pan to reduce and create the sauce.
8. Reduce sauce to a pouring consistency and pour over the lamb accompanied with the pomme puree.

Olive oil pomme puree
Serves 4 (2.5kg)

Ingreditents
1 Kg rock salt
3kg desiree potatoes
200g butte
60ml olive oil
190ml milk

Method
1. Cover the bottom of a baking tray with rock salt and place whole, unpeeled potatoes on the salt.
2. Bake in a preheated cool-warm oven, 160oC for approximately 2 hours or until a skewer passes through easily.
3. Whilst hot, cut potatoes in half, then pass through a fine colander.
4. In a medium sized pan heater the butter, olive oil and milk and whisk until blended.
5. Add the sieved potato to the pan and whisk until silk and smooth. Season to taste with salt only.