Braised Veal Shanks with Tkemali and Tomatoes
Incredibly tender and flavourful, these braised veal shanks are cooked in a rich, sweet and tart sauce made with tkemali, tomatoes and chicken stock.
Ingredients
- 5-6 veal shanks
- Flour for dredging
- Oil for frying
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 2 generous tablespoons of tkemali sauce
- 3 tomatoes peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses optional
- Salt to taste
- Fresh chopped mint and parsley for garnish
- Pomegranate jewels for garnish
Instructions
- Season the shanks with salt and brush with a little flour. Use twine to tie around to make sure they don’t fall apart during cooking.
- Heat olive oil in a large iron-cast casserole.
- Sear the shanks for 2 minutes on both sides to brown, 2-3 shanks at a time.
- Transfer the shanks to a plate and deglaze the casserole with 150ml chicken stock. Stir in all the brown bits.
- Add tkemali, chopped tomatoes and the rest of the stock. Mix well and taste. Add pomegranate molasses, if using, and adjust for salt.
- Return the shanks to the casserole. Cover and cook on stove top over lowest heat or in the oven at 170C for 2.5 hours.
- Check occasionally to make sure the braising liquid doesn't boil out.
- The veal is ready when it’s falling apart. You may wish to strain the sauce to get rid of impurities and extra fat.
- Serve sprinkled with fresh herbs and pomegranate jewels, with a salad or roasted vegetables on the side.
Notes
- You can use 1/2 glass of white or red wine to deglaze the casserole.
- Braised shanks can be refrigerated for two days.
- You can swap veal shanks for beef shanks.