Lamb Shank And Fennel Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks, french trimmed
2 teaspoons ground fennel
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon mild paprika
8 cups vegetable stock or 8 cups chicken stock
2 leeks, pale section only thinly sliced
1 dried bay leaf
350 g butternut pumpkin, cubed
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
salt and fresh pepper
1 tablespoon fresh fennel, tops chopped (to garnish)

Preparation

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add lamb shank and cook for 5 minutes until browned all over.
Remove lamb to plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to low. Add fennel, coriander, paprika to pan and cook until fragrant.
Add stock. leek, bay leaf and lamb shanks and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours until lamb is very tender. Use tongs to transfer lamb to plate.
Add pumpkin and fennel to the soup and simmer covered for 20 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile remove meat from bones and coarsely chop.
Return lamb to soup and heat through. Dab top of soup with paper towel to remove any fat.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with fennel leaves.