Braised Lamb Shanks With Winter Squash And Red Chard Recipes

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 BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
• Stir onion, carrots, and celery into the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and basil. Pour in chicken broth and wine; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover.
• Place covered pan in the preheated oven; bake until lamb shanks are tender, about 6 hours. Check level of liquid every 2 hours, adding more chicken broth or red wine if too much evaporates.
• Place butternut squash in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
• Stir 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Mash with a fork until smooth. Reheat over medium heat before serving with lamb shanks.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH WINTER SQUASH AND RED CHARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle lamb on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add lamb; cook until brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Add 1 tablespoon butter to drippings in pot. Add onion, carrots, parsnips, thyme and garlic. Sauté until vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced almost to glaze, about 4 minutes. Return lamb to pot, arranging in single layer. Add stock, orange, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; bring to boil. Place pot in oven. Braise lamb uncovered until tender, turning and basting often, about 2 hours 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rub cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange squash, skin side down, on baking sheet. Roast on sheet alongside lamb until tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Scrape squash from skins into bowl; add nutmeg and 2 tablespoons butter. Mash with fork until almost smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer lamb to plate. Strain braising liquid into bowl; spoon off fat, if desired. Return liquid to pot. Add fresh fennel, orange peel and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds. Simmer until fennel is tender and sauce is thick enough to coat spoon, about 15 minutes. Return lamb to sauce.
• Rewarm lamb shanks, covered, over medium-low heat, about 15 minutes. Rewarm squash in saucepan over low heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
• Chard and final preparation:
• While lamb and squash heat, cut out center stem from chard leaves; discard stems. Coarsely tear leaves. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add chard and toss until chard wilts, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide squash and chard among 4 plates. Arrange lamb atop vegetables; spoon sauce with fennel over.