Braised Lamb Shanks

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Serves

4

Introduction

Simple, warm, and comforting, this dish belongs in the realm of winter food when tummy and soul wish to be satisfied. Because the sauce for the shanks is not terribly thick, they are particularly good served with rice, or mashed potatoes, or something that will soak up a bit of the wonderful flavors.

Ingredients

	4	lamb shanks (about 2½ pounds total)
	3	Tbsp. olive oil
	~	Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
	1	large yellow onion (about 1 pound), peeled and coarsely chopped
	2	cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
	⅓	cup dry white wine
	1	(28 oz.) can tomatoes, drained and crushed
	1½	cups canned beef broth (or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 1½ cups hot water)
	3	sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
	1	large sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only

Gremolata

	1	Tbsp. grated zest of 1 medium orange
	2	cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
	½	cup finely chopped fresh parsley (preferably Italian flat-leaf)

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Dry lamb shanks completely with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-inch straight-sided frying pan with ovenproof handle over medium heat. (You may also use a flameproof casserole of similar size.) When oil is hot, add lamb shanks and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and season them well with salt and pepper.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and when hot add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and just starting to brown, 5 or 6 minutes. Add white wine and bring to a boil. Return shanks to the pan. Add tomatoes, beef broth, thyme, and rosemary. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cover and place in oven. Braise until the meat feels tender when pierced with a fork, 1½ to 1¾ hours.
3. Toss ingredients for gremolata together in a small serving bowl. When the shanks are done, remove them from the braising pan and keep them warm. Place the braising pan on top of the stove over high heat and boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 7 to 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary.
4. To serve, place a shank on each individual plate. Top with a healthy spoonful of sauce. Pass the gremolata for sprinkling over the lamb.

Notes

• This dish can be cooked 1 or 2 days in advance. This may even be preferable because it allows you to remove some fat that has congealed during refrigeration. However, when rewarming, remove the shanks from the pot and return them only at the last minute before serving, so that they just get warm, but do not overcook.
• Braised meats sometimes separate from the bone after long cooking. If this appearance concerns you, secure the meat with a string before cooking.
  Gremolata is a sparkling blend of flavors used in Mediterranean cooking. It is not essential to the dish, but a very pleasant addition.

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