Braised Lamb Shanks With Dried Fruit Recipes

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large Dutch oven generously with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Brown well on all sides. This is an incredibly important step; do not rush it.
• Meanwhile, puree the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a food processor until it becomes a coarse paste. Remove and set aside.
• Remove the shanks from the pan to a sheet tray. Discard the excess fat from the pan. Add a little more oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the pureed veggies. Season with salt, to taste. Saute the veggies until they are very brown and aromatic, about 20 minutes. The brown veggies should form a sort of crust on the bottom of the pan, do not let this burn; it is where a lot of the flavor is! Don't rush this step either, since this is where you will develop the brown color and flavor.
• Add the tomato paste and brown for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, chopped rosemary and thyme bundle. Stir frequently and cook until the wine has reduced by about half.
• Add the shanks back to the pot and pour in 3 to 4 cups of water. The shanks should be submersed, if they are not, add more water. Add the bay leaves to the pan, cover and put in the preheated oven. The cooking time will be about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the shanks over about halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes or so. If the liquid has reduced too much add more water. Defat as you go.
• Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time for maximum browning. When the shanks are done the meat should be incredibly tender and flavorful. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with Gremolata. Serve with Hard Polenta Cakes, if desired,
• Call yourself a superstar!!!
• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.

PASSOVER-INSPIRED BRAISED LAMB WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Season the meat with salt and pepper and put it in a pot that will fit it snugly and can later be covered. Add the spices and a 1/2 bottle of wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a slow bubble, and cover. Cook about an hour, then add onion, garlic, ginger and dried fruit, and check to make sure the liquid isn't evaporating too quickly; turn and continue to cook. Add the remaining red wine if the mixture looks dry, but essentially cook this without fuss.
• When the meat is very tender - after about 2 1/2 hours - uncover. Check and adjust the seasoning as necessary, garnish and serve.

BRAISED LAMB WITH SQUASH AND BRANDIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Halve the squash lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds and discard them. Rub the flesh of the squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place 3 sprigs each of thyme and sage on a small baking sheet. Place the cut side of the squash directly on top of the herbs. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the quartered shallots cut-side down and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
• Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot over medium-high. Cook the lamb on both sides until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
• Add the minced shallots and garlic to the pan, season with salt and stir to coat with the pan drippings. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, then add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the remaining thyme and sage.
• Cover the pot with a lid or a piece of foil and move the pot to the bottom rack of the oven. Place the squash on the top rack. Bake the squash until the flesh is tender and a thin knife can be easily inserted, about 75 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Continue to cook the lamb until the meat is tender enough to pull with a fork, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours total.
• Scoop out the squash with a spoon and place on a serving plate, then transfer the lamb to the plate and cover to keep warm. Remove the braised tomatoes from the lamb cooking liquid and discard along with any excess fat.
• Set the pot over medium heat and reduce the liquid to about 3/4 of its volume, about 5 minutes. Add the browned shallots and brandied fruit. Cook until shallots are tender and sauce is warmed through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the lamb and squash and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with steamed rice, couscous or thick slices of a crusty sourdough loaf.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH HERBS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• 2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season shanks with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and shake off excess. Add oil to pan and brown shanks all over, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• 3. Add celery, onion, and carrots to pot and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add wine, increase heat to high, and scrape up browned bits in pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat and cook until wine lightly coats vegetables. Return shanks to pot, add broth, and bring to a simmer. Transfer pot to oven and cook, uncovered and turning shanks once about halfway through, until fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• 4. Transfer shanks to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Let sauce settle on stove top, about 10 minutes; skim fat. Bring to a boil, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Return shanks to sauce; turn to coat and heat through. Spoon sauce and vegetables over meat, scatter parsley on top and serve. Serve shanks with polenta if desired.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH DRIED FRUITS

Steps:

• Make marinade:
• In a 9- to 10-quart heavy ovenproof kettle whisk together marinade ingredients.
• Add shanks to marinade and toss to coat. Marinate shanks, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Transfer shanks with tongs to a plate. Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. Pour marinade through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve vegetables, liquid, and bouquet garni separately. In kettle heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and brown shanks on all sides in batches, transferring to a plate. Add reserved vegetables to fat remaining in kettle and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add vegetables to shanks.
• Add flour to kettle and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, 3 minutes, or until golden. Whisk in reserved marinade liquid and add reserved bouquet garni, shank mixture, and tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Add water and braise mixture, covered, in middle of oven 2 hours, or until lamb is tender.
• While shanks are braising, peel and core apples and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. In a large heavy skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook apples, stirring, 2 minutes. Add orange juice and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Keep apple mixture warm.
• Arrange shanks around edge of a large platter and spoon apple mixture into center of platter. Keep shanks and apple mixture warm.
• Bring braising liquid to a boil, skimming any fat that rises to surface, and discard bouquet garni. Add dried fruits and mint and simmer sauce 5 minutes, or until fruits are softened. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over shanks. Serve any remaining sauce separately.