Turkish Braised Lamb Shanks With Roasted Plums Recipes

SLOW-ROASTED TURKISH LAMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut lamb shoulder into 2 or 3 pieces, and place in a shallow 12-by-14-inch roasting pan or similar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with red pepper, if desired.
• Rub meat with olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Tuck thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, garlic cloves and onion halves here and there. Place in oven, uncovered, and roast for 30 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.
• Turn meat browned-side down and add 2 cups of water to the pan. Cover tightly with foil or lid. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Cook, covered, until meat is absolutely fork tender and beginning to fall apart, about 3 1/2 hours total. Uncover during last 30 minutes of cooking if you want to brown the meat a bit more.
• Remove meat to a cutting board. Pour pan juices into a skillet (discard herbs and garlic). Skim and discard excess fat from surface. Bring to a boil and simmer until about a cup remains.
• Chop or shred meat into 1-inch chunks or rough slices. Transfer to a warm platter and pour juices over. (Alternatively, leave meat in pan with reduced juices until ready to serve.) Garnish with persimmon and pomegranate (if using), parsley, mint and lemon wedges. Serve yogurt on the side.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
• When the oil is hot, place the lamb shanks and season well with salt and pepper. You may work with two shanks at a time.
• Then brown the shanks well on all sides using a pair of tongs. It should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the seared lamb shanks and set aside.
• In the same skillet add the remaining oil and heat it. Then add the sliced onion and sauté until light golden brown.
• Next add the grated garlic and stir couple minutes. Add the Persian spice mix, and turmeric. Then turn of the heat.
• Transfer the lamb shanks and sautéed onion-spice mixture to a heavy bottomed cooking pot. Add the saffron water, lemon juice, bay leaves, thyme (or dill) and the lemon zest.
• Add about 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 1½ to 2 hours until fork tender. The meat should be falling of the bone.
• Adjust the seasonings as per taste.
• Transfer the lamb shanks to a serving dish.
• Cook down the sauce further if it is too thin and then pour it over the lamb shanks. Or you may strain the sauce and then cook it. Discard the bay leaves.
• Tip: You may also cook this from start to finish in a dutch oven or a heavy bottomed pot that heats up well for browning the meat.
• Follow the same instructions as above.And cook the lamb shanks in the oven at 325 degrees F in an oven safe dish making sure to seal it well or use a fitting lid.
• Brown the lambs shanks and prepare the onion-spice-herb mixture. Transfer to slow cooker.
• Add the water and cook according to the instructions for about 4 to 5 hours at high or 6 to 8 hours at low setting.

ITALIAN-STYLE LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Rub lamb shanks with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat a heavy Dutch oven . When hot, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil to coat the bottom. Sear the lamb shanks until browned and remove from the pot.
• To the same pot, add a teaspoon of olive oil and the sliced sweet onions. Toss to coat with the pan drippings. Reduce heat and cover.
• Sweat the onions until limp but not browned, stirring often.
• When they are limp, add the wine and cook for two minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Add garlic cloves, tomatoes, and the water. Stir to combine.
• Return the lamb shanks to the pot.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, turning lamb shanks occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Add additional water if the sauce becomes too thick.
• Serve braised lamb shanks with cooked pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.
• Enjoy!

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and cook, in batches if necessary, turning with tongs, until well browned, about 10 minutes each batch. Remove the lamb shanks with tongs to a plate and set aside.
• Stir the onions, carrots, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic into the dutch oven and cook, stirring, until the onions are very soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of the wine and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Return the lamb shanks to the pot and braise the mixture, tightly covered, in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover and braise for 2 more hours, turning the shanks every 30 minutes. Stir in the turnips and the remaining 1/2 cup of the wine, and continue to braise, in the oven for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• While the lamb shanks are braising, make the gremolata: chop together the rosemary, orange zest, and garlic. Place each lamb shank on a serving plate, top with the vegetables, sprinkle with gremolata and serve immediately.

TURKISH BRAISED LAMB (TAS KEBAP)

Steps:

• Trim and cut meat into 2 cm (3/4 inch) cubes.
• Heat 1/2 the olive oil in a heavy pan and brown meat quickly on each side.
• Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining olive oil, onion, garlic and sweet pepper.
• Fry gently until onion is transparent.
• Add tomato and water.
• Stir well, and add bahrat or allspice, salt and pepper to taste and most of the parsley.
• Return lamb to pan, cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours or until lamb is tender and sauce is thickened.
• Very good on a bed of Turkish Wedding Pilaf (Dugun Pilav).
• Sprinkle hot meat with reserved chopped parsly before serving.

LAMB SHANKS, BRAISED TURKISH-STYLE WITH ROASTED PLUMS

Steps:

• Mix the paprika, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Rub the spice mix into the lamb shanks creating a spice covering that coats the lamb completely. Set aside 10 minutes.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large lidded saucepan. Add the onions and begin to brown them stirring occasionally. Add the plums that you have pitted along with the sugar and cook for a few minutes with the onions. Remove the onions and plums with a slotted spoon and add the seasoned lamb to the saucepan oven and brown the lamb well on all sides.
• Add the white wine and cook down by half. Add the hot stock and return the onions and plums to the pot. Adjust the seasoning, set at a simmer, cover and cook for 90-120 minutes or until the lamb is fork tender. Serve with saffron rice.

TURKISH BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH ROASTED PLUMS

Steps:

• Mix the paprika, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, all spice, cloves, salt and pepper in a bowl. Rub the spice mix into the lamb shanks creating a spice covering that coats the lamb completely. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add the onions and begin to brown them stirring occasionally. Add the plums that you have pitted along with the sugar and cook for a few minutes with the onions. Remove the onions and plums with a slotted spoon and add the seasoned lamb to the hot dutch oven and brown the lamb well on all sides. Add the white wine and cook down by half. Add the hot stock and return the onions and plums to the pot. Adjust the seasoning, set at a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the lamb is fork tender. Serve with almond and saffron rice.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS ON SOFT POLENTA WITH BAY LEAVES

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups hot water and mushrooms in small bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 30 minutes.
• Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges in long strips. Squeeze juice from oranges; reserve peel and juice. Tie bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, and cloves in square of moistened cheesecloth.
• Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in wide pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add 3 lamb shanks to pot. Sauté until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining shanks. Return onions to pot. Using slotted spoon, add mushrooms, then mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any sediment in bowl. Add orange peel and juice, herb bundle, wine, and tomato paste. Boil 5 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
• Return lamb to pot, arranging in single layer. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer 30 minutes. Partially uncover pot. Simmer until lamb is tender, turning every 15 minutes, about 1 1/2 hours longer.
• Transfer lamb to bowl. Tilt pot and spoon fat off top of sauce. Boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon lightly and is reduced to 5 cups, about 35 minutes. Discard herb bundle and orange peel. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return lamb to pot, spooning sauce over to coat. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate lamb, uncovered, until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
• Spoon polenta onto large platter. Arrange lamb atop polenta. Spoon sauce over lamb and serve.
• *Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.