Victorian Wineries

• 100ml olive oil
• Salt & milled pepper
• 2 lamb shanks
• 1 carrot peeled & diced
• 1 onion peeled & diced
• 2 celery sticks peeled & diced
• 2 green chilies sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic peeled & sliced
• 50 ml white wine vinegar
• 50 g sugar
• 5g smoked paprika
• 100 ml white wine
• 1bunch of rosemary
• 400g chopped fresh tomatoes or Italian brand of tinned tomatoes
• 1tbspn tomato concentrate
• 3Lts chicken stock

• 125g pre-cooked or tinned cannellini beans or chickpeas
• 50ml olive oil
• 1 diced red onion
• 3 diced peeled celery sticks
• 1 small diced peeled celeriac
• 1 diced peeled parsnip
• 1 diced peeled carrot
• 125g cooked risoni pasta
• 100g cooked peas
• 1 bunch of mint leaves coarsely
• 1 bunch of basil leaves coarsely chopped

• 4 BBQ rustic bread slices
• 50ml drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• 1clove of peeled garlic
• 150g Ricotta or parmesan

1. In a heavy bottom casserole with a lid heat olive oil, season lamb shanks & seal all over until nicely colored. Remove from the casserole, add vegetables cook until caramelised,deglaze with vinegar & sugar, reduce to a syrup add smoked paprika, tomatoes & white wine. Return lamb shanks to the pan, cover with chicken stock & a lid, braise over a low flame with a lid for 3 hours until soft & gelatinous.
2. Transfer the lamb and cooking liquor to another vessel to cool slightly so you can flake the lamb from the bone with a fork ,discarding any bone or sinew
3. Clean and re use the same pan then heat some olive oil, add onions. Cook until fragrant & soft, now add your diced root vegetables, cook together covered with a lid for 5 minutes. add cooked beans,
4. Now cover with the lamb braising stock including all the vegetables
5. Cook the minestrone until all the vegetables are tender, add the risoni & shredded cooked lamb, check the seasoning cook until the pasta is tender take off the heat.
6. Prepare slices of rustic bread brush lightly with olive oil rub with a peeled garlic clove.
7. To serve, add peas, mint & basil, ladle the thick soup rich with vegetables into deep bowls top with barbeque bread slices, generous spoons Parmesan or seasoned ricotta

Cook's Note:
This soup is also delicious prepared with a ham hock.