Braised Lamb Shanks
March 01, 2006
BRAISED LAMB
SHANKS
This recipe for braised lamb shanks
produces the most beautifully aromatic and flavorful meat to serve on a cold
winter evening. By cooking the meat uncovered and slowly in a moderately
low oven, the lamb turns a deep mohagany color, with the meat ready to fall off
the bone.
Begin this dish the day before you plan to
serve it in order to de-fat and "fine" your braising liquid for the best
finished sauce.
4 meaty lamb shanks- trimmed
of visible fat and silverskin
coarse (kosher) salt and
freshly ground black peppercorns
vegetable oil as
needed
1 medium onion, diced
small
1 medium carrot, diced
small
1 small parsnip, diced
small
2 ribs celery, diced
small
1 2/3 cups fruity red
wine
1/3 cup pomegranate syrup
(pure pomegranate concentrate)
1
orange
7-10 sprigs
Italian parsley
7-10 sprigs fresh
thyme
1 bay
leaf
1 stick
cinnamon
12 whole allspice berries,
ground in spice grinder or with mortar and pestle
2 teaspoons whole fennel
seeds, ground in spice grinder or with mortar and pestle
7-10 cups chicken stock
(amount depends on size of braising pot)
4 whole garlic bulbs, papery
outside layer removed, top 1/3 cut off (discard top
portion)
For the finished
sauce:
1
orange
4 tablespoons unsalted
butter
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cut
in half lengthwise, halves thinly sliced crosswise
1 teaspoon ground whole
fennel seeds
coarse (kosher) salt and
freshly ground black peppercorns to taste
3 heaping tablespoons
chopped fresh Italian parsley (more for garnish if
desired)
Day
One:
Position rack in lower 3rd of oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse lamb with cold water; pat dry with
paper towels. Liberally sprinkle with salt and
pepper.
Remove wide strips of zest from orange (a
vegetable peeler works great). Reserve zest. Next, peel the
white pith away from the fruit, and discard pith. Cut the fruit into
quarters and reserve.
Tie the fresh herbs together in a bundle
with kitchen twine to ease removal after meat is
braised.
Heat enough vegetable oil over medium-high
heat in a large Dutch oven to evenly coat the bottom with a thin
film. When sufficiently hot, add lamb shanks and brown on all sides until
golden and caramelized. Remove lamb; set aside. Add diced onion,
carrot, parsnip, and celery to the pot. Saute until vegetables begin to
carmelize. Add the wine and pomegranate syrup, scraping the bottom of the
pan to deglaze. Simmer for a few minutes until the liquid appears a bit
syrupy. Add the orange quarters, the zest, the herbs, and the spices to
the pot. Add the minimum amount of chicken stock to the pot (more can be
added if needed) and bring to a low boil. Add the shanks in a single
layer, and tuck the garlic into the liquid as well. You should have enough
liquid in your pot to cover meat by 2/3 to 3/4, leaving 1/3 to 1/4 of the lamb
exposed above the brew.
Place the pot in the oven uncovered.
Cook for a total time of 3 hours; turning meat every 1/2 hour to ensure nice
even caramelization. IMPORTANT: For the final 30 minutes, turn off
the oven and let the meat "cruise in". When meat is done, carefully remove
the shanks and garlic bulbs from the braising liquid, keeping the meat intact
and the garlic whole. Place meat and garlic on a rimmed, oven-proof baking
sheet or platter, cover with foil, and let cool. Remove the herb
bundle from the liquid and discard. Strain liquid into a bowl through
a fine seive. Press on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as
possible; discard vegetables. Chill the liquid separately from the meat
and garlic.
Day
Two:
Remove meat and garlic, and braising liquid
(the "liquid" will now be nice and coagulated due to the collagen in the
meat) from the refrigerator. Use a spoon to scrape the solid layer of fat
away from the gelatinous broth, discarding fat.
Put the covered shanks and garlic in a low
oven (250 degrees) to gently re-warm while continuing with
recipe.
This time to prepare the orange, use a
citrus zester (for fine slim shreds) or a fine grater to remove zest. Set
aside zest. Cut the zested orange in quarters, remove seeds, and set
aside.
Warm the butter over medium heat in the
same large Dutch oven used to braise the lamb. Add the sliced fennel and
fennel seeds, and saute until fennel is slightly softened. Sprinkle with a
generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add the chopped parsley, the orange
zest, and the braising liquid. Increase heat; simmer sauce until it
appears slightly thickened. Gently place the lamb shanks into the
pot. Squeeze the orange quarters over the meat and discard the
orange. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Cover the pot and place into
the oven for a bit to ensure everything is nice and hot when
served.
Plating
Suggestions:
My favorite presentation is to
serve the shanks in big, warmed bowls on top of pureed, buttery, creamy parsnips
seasoned with white pepper, drizzled with braising "gravy". Adding a hit
of wilted greens (spinach, kale, etc.) to the same bowl adds visual interest (if
you're not adding a green veggie to the plate, be sure to garnish with
plenty of chopped Italian parsley). Finally, don't forget the garlic
bulbs! The tender, sweet cloves are delicious to eat with the lamb, or to
spread onto toasted baguette or sturdy bread. Of course, mashed potatoes,
buttered noodles, risotto, pureed winter squash, beans or lentils, etc.
will all suffice nicely as part of the "set".
Enjoy!
Another original recipe by Renee
Kroeger
Wine
Service - The wood spices, orange and pomegranate influence in
this recipe are accentuated by southern Italian wines
buttressed with the hearty Nero d' Avola grape. For value try
the entry level wines from the Sicilian producers Morgante and
Cusumano. If the occasion is special (as it should be with this dish!),
move the table near a cozy fireplace and serve Morgante's "Don
Antonio" or Cusumano's "Sagana"!!
Eric Stumpf, The Wine Consultant
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