LAMB & EGGPLANT CASSEROLE WITH OLIVES & OREGANO

SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 2 HOURS 10 MINS PER SERVE 1775kj COST $$$

1 tbsp olive oil 4 lamb shanks 2 onions, chopped 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 cup red wine 3 cups beef stock 6 baby eggplants, halved 2 large carrots, sliced ⅓ cup Sicilian green olives ⅓ cup oregano leaves fried polenta squares (see tip), to serve

1 Preheat oven to hot, 200°C. 2 In a large flameproof casserole dish, heat oil on high. In 2 batches, brown shanks 4-5 mins each. Transfer to a plate. 3 In same dish, saute onion 2-3 mins until tender. Add tomato paste and sugar and cook 1-2 mins. 4 Pour in wine and simmer, stirring, until almost completely evaporated. Return shanks to the pan with beef stock. Bake, covered, 1 hour. 5 Stir eggplant, carrot, olives and oregano through. Bake, covered, a further 45 mins until sauce is thickened and lamb is tender. 6 Serve casserole accompanied with polenta.