Slowly braised lamb shanks are almost impossible to beat on a cold wintry day. Savory and richly-flavored, this dish will almost make you glad the weather is bad. And although there's some prep up front, most of the cooking process is trying to ignore the marvelous odors that permeate your home, treading softly on cat feet into each corner until your stomach is grumbling and rumbling with hunger. A little snack about halfway through the cooking might be a good idea. (Larger image.)Serves 2.
If you want to see some other recipes for braises, check out "In Braise of Cheap Meat".
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 lamb shank, closely trimmed of fat
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 md. onion, cut into eighths
- 2 md. carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
- 1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4" pieces
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1/2 Tbsp. dried Herbes de Provence
- 1/2 Tbsp. juniper berries*, smashed (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried rosemary)
- 1 cup red wine (Zinfandel's a good choice)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Heat oven to 300F.
2. Generously season lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil in a small dutch oven (link url=http://erclk.about.com/?zi=7/2rrP]compare prices[/link]) over medium high heat. Add lamb shanks and brown on all sides, including end. Remove to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add onions, carrots, and celery to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until ingredients begin to brown.
5. Add tomato paste, juniper (or rosemary), herbs, and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cook an addition 1 1/2 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add wine and deglaze pan. Continue cooking until wine is reduced by half.
8. Return shanks to the pot and add enough beef stock to come halfway up the sides of the shanks.
9. Cover and place in the center of the oven, and cook for 3 hours, turning shanks over about halfway through the cooking time.
Note 1: Juniper berries are exactly what you might expect, berries from a juniper bush. They have a slightly resinous flavor and can usually be found at stores such as Whole Foods.
Wondering why your stew is too chewey? Check out these tips on perfect soups, stews, and braises.
