Heavenly Lamb Shanks Recipes

HEAVENLY LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy, metal roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Toss shanks with flour to coat well; then shake off excess. Sear the shanks in hot oil until well browned on all sides, then remove from pan and set aside.
• Add the leek, celery, carrot, onion, and garlic to the roasting pan. Cook until softened and lightly browned, stirring constantly; about 5 minutes. Season with the bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary sprigs. Pour in the red wine and chicken stock, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with sea salt, and place the lamb shanks on top of the vegetables.
• Cover the roasting pan tightly with heavy aluminum foil, and place into the preheated oven. Bake gently until the meat is tender and falls off of the bone, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the bay leaf and herb stems before serving shanks with vegetables and sauce.

THE ZAHAV LAMB SHOULDER

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the salt, sugar, allspice, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and garlic in 2 quarts water. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and allow the brine to cool completely.
• Place the lamb into the cooled brine. (If it's floating or not submerged enough, cover the lamb with a clean cloth that's saturated in the brine.) Cover with lid and refrigerate the lamb shoulder in the brine overnight or up to 48 hours.
• Turn your oven's broiler on. Place a rack on a baking sheet. Drain the lamb and pat dry, wiping off solids from the brine. Put the lamb on the rack and broil until well browned, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the roasting pan: Drain soaked chickpeas and place in the roasting pan, along with 2 quarts of water and the pomegranate molasses. Remove lamb shoulder from the oven; turn off the broiler and set the oven to 325 degrees F. Lay the lamb shoulder in the roasting pan, skin side up. (The liquid should come about halfway up the shoulder; add water if needed.) Place a sheet of parchment paper over the lamb and cover the pan tightly with several layers of foil. Braise in the oven about 5 hours, basting every hour.
• After 5 hours, remove the foil and parchment from the lamb and baste again. Raise heat to 475 degrees F, and place lamb back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven when the lamb is deeply glazed and the liquid has reduced. Baste again with the juices and garnish with torn parsley and mint. Place in a serving dish, cover with juices and chickpeas, and serve family-style.