This is the recipe I used a few days ago with a large piece of pork shoulder since I did not have lamb shanks. After browning, I let it simmer overnight in the crockpot. There was a lot of fat rendered from the pork, so I had to let the braising liquid cool, then refrigerate, which made it easy to remove the layer of fat on top. Then I finished the sauce. You could probably use some of that fat and some flour to finish the sauce, but I used butter.
Anyway, here is the recipe for Braised Lamb Shanks with mint gremolata and it is served over a warm wheat berry salad. It was really delicious even with pork and I can't wait to try it with lamb shanks.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH MINT GREMOLATA
4 lamb shanks
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Flour
Vegetable oil
1 Spanish onion, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
10 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife, then roughly chopped
4 cups veal or chicken stock
2 cups dry red wine
2 T. honey
1 T. Asian fish sauce
2 bay leaves
Buerre manié
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 T. finely minced garlic
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Wheat Berry Salad (recipe follows), for serving
1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper at least 10 minutes and up to 3 days before cooking them. Dredge them in flour just before cooking; shake off the excess.
3. Add plenty of vegetable oil to a Dutch oven that will comfortably contain the shanks. Sear the shanks over medium-high heat (in batches if necessary), remove them, wipe out the Dutch oven and return it to the stovetop.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to your braising vessel and cook the onion, carrots, and garlic over medium-high heat until softened, 5-10 minutes. Return the shanks to the pot and add the stock, wine, honey, fish sauce, and bay leaves. The shanks should be about two-thirds submerged (add more water, stock, and wine if necessary), bring the liquid to a full simmer and cover the pot. Place the pot in the oven and cook until the lamb shanks are fork-tender, 2-3 hours.
5. Remove the shanks from the pot. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and remove the fat that rises to the top. Return the defatted braising liquid to the pan, bring it to a simmer and thicken it as you wish with the buerre manié. Return the shanks to the pot. If you won't be serving immediately, cover the pot and store the shanks in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop till piping hot.
6. As close as possible before serving, combine the mint, garlic, and lemon zest to make the mint gremolata.
7. Serve the shanks on top of the warm wheat berries, spooning the sauce over the shanks and finishing with the mint gremolata.
Servings: 4
Source: Ruhlman's How to Braise
WHEAT BERRY SALAD
1 shallot, minced
1 T. butter
Kosher salt
1 cup wheat berries
2 bay leaves
3½ cups water
1 cup cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed with the flat side of knife, then minced.
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh mint (optional)
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1. Sauté the shallot in the butter in a medium pan over medium heat until tender, giving it a four-finger pinch of salt as you do. When tender, add the wheat berries, bay leaves, and water.
2. Cook until tender per the instructions on the package, and strain out any excess water. Allow to cool somewhat.
3. Add the edamame and red pepper. Toss with the wheat berries.
4. Combine the garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil and black pepper to taste and pour this mixture over the wheat berries. Stir in the herbs, if using. Taste and evaluate for seasoning, adding more salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and/or herbs till it's to your liking.
Servings: 4
Source: Ruhlman's How to Braise
Anyway, here is the recipe for Braised Lamb Shanks with mint gremolata and it is served over a warm wheat berry salad. It was really delicious even with pork and I can't wait to try it with lamb shanks.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH MINT GREMOLATA
4 lamb shanks
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Flour
Vegetable oil
1 Spanish onion, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
10 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife, then roughly chopped
4 cups veal or chicken stock
2 cups dry red wine
2 T. honey
1 T. Asian fish sauce
2 bay leaves
Buerre manié
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
1 T. finely minced garlic
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Wheat Berry Salad (recipe follows), for serving
1. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper at least 10 minutes and up to 3 days before cooking them. Dredge them in flour just before cooking; shake off the excess.
3. Add plenty of vegetable oil to a Dutch oven that will comfortably contain the shanks. Sear the shanks over medium-high heat (in batches if necessary), remove them, wipe out the Dutch oven and return it to the stovetop.
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to your braising vessel and cook the onion, carrots, and garlic over medium-high heat until softened, 5-10 minutes. Return the shanks to the pot and add the stock, wine, honey, fish sauce, and bay leaves. The shanks should be about two-thirds submerged (add more water, stock, and wine if necessary), bring the liquid to a full simmer and cover the pot. Place the pot in the oven and cook until the lamb shanks are fork-tender, 2-3 hours.
5. Remove the shanks from the pot. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and remove the fat that rises to the top. Return the defatted braising liquid to the pan, bring it to a simmer and thicken it as you wish with the buerre manié. Return the shanks to the pot. If you won't be serving immediately, cover the pot and store the shanks in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop till piping hot.
6. As close as possible before serving, combine the mint, garlic, and lemon zest to make the mint gremolata.
7. Serve the shanks on top of the warm wheat berries, spooning the sauce over the shanks and finishing with the mint gremolata.
Servings: 4
Source: Ruhlman's How to Braise
WHEAT BERRY SALAD
1 shallot, minced
1 T. butter
Kosher salt
1 cup wheat berries
2 bay leaves
3½ cups water
1 cup cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed with the flat side of knife, then minced.
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh mint (optional)
2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1. Sauté the shallot in the butter in a medium pan over medium heat until tender, giving it a four-finger pinch of salt as you do. When tender, add the wheat berries, bay leaves, and water.
2. Cook until tender per the instructions on the package, and strain out any excess water. Allow to cool somewhat.
3. Add the edamame and red pepper. Toss with the wheat berries.
4. Combine the garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the olive oil and black pepper to taste and pour this mixture over the wheat berries. Stir in the herbs, if using. Taste and evaluate for seasoning, adding more salt, lemon juice, olive oil, and/or herbs till it's to your liking.
Servings: 4
Source: Ruhlman's How to Braise
Maryann
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
