Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

(Click on image for larger view.)

I am always amazed at the spectacular results yielded by the simplest of ingredients and the application of a little (well, a lot of) time, on the humblest cuts of meat.  Braising is a set-and-forget technique; once you have your prep done you can go about your day while the dish cooks itself, presenting a luscious amalgam of mirepoix vegetables, classic potherbs and wine.  Just check and adjust the seasonings from time to time, and enjoy a fine, fork-tender meal in the evening.

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.

Indo - European beef short ribs

Braising is an incredible technique to make the most of inexpensive cuts of meat.  It is nearly a set-and-forget dish, once you are satisfied with the seasonings and braising liquid.  The meat becomes completely tender as it breaks down over hours of simmering.

I found some short ribs at the market and toyed with ideas for their preparation.  I had been strongly inclined to do an Asian fusion recipe, but settled on a curry flavor with rustic roots.  I incorporated red wine, mirepoix vegetables and lots of spices.  They are simmering as I write this, and the aromas are just wonderful.

THE RECIPE

3-4 pounds beef plate short ribs
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for sauteeing
1 large shallot, minced
4 cloves of garlic, grated
2 inches fresh ginger, grated
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2T curry powder
1T garam masala
1/2 t cayenne powder
1/2 t white pepper
2-3 cups dry red wine
1T champagne vinegar

HP sauce, to taste

Heat a skillet or small Dutch oven over high flame.  Season the ribs on both sides with the salt and pepper.

Add a few drops of oil to the skillet; brown the short ribs starting with the bone side down.  First, don't be afraid of seasoning and don't be afraid to BROWN the meat.  Turn the ribs to brown all sides.  Remove the ribs and reduce flame to low.  Add the shallots, garlic, carrot and celery.  Turn for a couple minutes then add wine, vinegar and dry spices.  Stir to combine and return short ribs to pan, meat side down; add a little water if necessary to cover at least 3/4 of the ribs.  

Cover and simmer until tender, anywhere from 2-4 hours.  Here they are at the halfway point:

Remove from the pan, remove the meat from the bone (when they are tender, that simply means pulling the bone out of the rib meat) cool, and trim the fat from rib meat.  The braising liquid infused wonderful flavor and aroma into the short ribs, but is rather intense on its own.  I have opted NOT to reduce it for sauce and instead used a little HP sauce to play off the sweet spices in the garam masala.

I'm going with a simple starch and vegetable to showcase the ribs.  I'm just doing a little polenta and steamed cauliflower.  (Yeah; use a GREEN vegetable if you're using your flash to do photos.)  Grits would do well in this presentation as well but sadly, I'm out.

BUTTERY POLENTA

Corn meal

Water

(These two ingredients are roughly in a 2:1 ratio of water to polenta; calculate your portions according to the number of servings you are preparing)

Pinch salt

+/- 2T unsalted butter

Snipped scallion greens

Bleu cheese crumbles

Boil water and add salt; slowly add the corn meal, stirring constantly.  Reduce flame to medium and stir constantly until the polenta thickens.  Form some polenta into a patty on the base of  each plate, sprinkle with scallion, center short ribs on this, pour HP sauce and sprinkle with bleu cheese crumbles.  Oh, yeah!