Cookbook 95: the CSIRO total wellbeing diet

The CSIRO total wellbeing diet is a high protein, low carb diet put together by the CSIRO (and the Australian meat industry).  As it is very vegetarian unfriendly, I cooked a casserole from this book on a day when no vegetarians were present.  Also, being a book full of meat, there were no vegetable side-dishes or main dishes to cook.  That said, even though it’s a diet I’m not following, nor likely to in the near future, it has some fantastic recipes inside.  Being meat focussed means that you need to have access to a decent butcher, and a lot of money.  For the recipes alone, I recommend the book, you can ignore all the diet stuff at the beginning (I know I do).  My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Lamb shanks

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 kg lamb shanks (200g meat per person), on the bone
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 stalks parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160C
2. Heat a large, enamelled cast-iron casserole dish over high heat.  Coat shanks with oil and cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until well-browned.  Remove shanks to a plate.
3. Add garlic, onion and celery to the casserole and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft.  Add wine, stock, lemon zest, parsley stalks and bay leaves and bring to a boil.  Return shanks to casserole dish and lightly season.  Cover with lid and cook, in the oven, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat begins to fall off the bone.
4. Check seasoning, then garnish with parsley.  Serve with steamed vegetables.

Notes on this recipe:

• Lamb shanks are my favourite
• This recipe is entirely gluten free, but does require expensive equipment (specifically the cast-iron casserole dish).
• I really like lamb shanks
• We served this with roast vegetables because… well roast vegetables are tasty.