 |
| (Click on image for larger view.) |
It's not quite fall weather today, but I'm after comfort food. I am plating these beauties up with simple mashed potatoes and red chard sauteed with a little garlic.
This is my take on the restaurant dish I learned from Chef Reinhard Dorfhuber; PUT AWAY your mint jelly, and DON'T call the savory reduction sauce "gravy"! These were two of his pet peeves, and I loved watching him turn beet red at the mere mention of these things while he was implementing his recipe in our store.
THE RECIPE
2 T EV olive oil
4 lamb shanks
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, minced with tops
2 large shallots, minced
1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes or 2.5 # peeled and diced fresh tomatoes
fresh rosemary leaves, minced (start with 2 T)
fresh thyme leaves, minced (start with 2T)
3-4 bay leaves
1 bottle (750 ml.) dry red wine
1 cup beef stock (or lamb, if you have it on hand)
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
corn starch / roux as needed
1 T balsamic vinegar
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy stock pot over medium flame, add oil and brown the lamb shanks thoroughly on all sides. Set aside and saute the vegetables until translucent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the lamb shanks, tomatoes, herbs, stock, wine and Worcestershire sauce. The braising liquid should cover the lamb shanks; add more stock if needed. Season with a bit more salt and pepper, bring to a low simmer. Cover the pot loosely to allow steam to escape and reduce flame to low.
Continue to braise until the meat is fall-off-the-bone, fork tender, at least 6-8 hours. Hold the lamb shanks to keep warm; strain the braising liquid to remove the solids. Return to heat and reduce; thicken as needed, splash with balsamic vinegar and serve over the shanks.
