Best Braised Lamb Shanks With Winter Squash And Red Chard Recipes

BRAISED LAMB WITH SQUASH AND BRANDIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Halve the squash lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds and discard them. Rub the flesh of the squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place 3 sprigs each of thyme and sage on a small baking sheet. Place the cut side of the squash directly on top of the herbs. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the quartered shallots cut-side down and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
• Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot over medium-high. Cook the lamb on both sides until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
• Add the minced shallots and garlic to the pan, season with salt and stir to coat with the pan drippings. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, then add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the remaining thyme and sage.
• Cover the pot with a lid or a piece of foil and move the pot to the bottom rack of the oven. Place the squash on the top rack. Bake the squash until the flesh is tender and a thin knife can be easily inserted, about 75 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Continue to cook the lamb until the meat is tender enough to pull with a fork, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours total.
• Scoop out the squash with a spoon and place on a serving plate, then transfer the lamb to the plate and cover to keep warm. Remove the braised tomatoes from the lamb cooking liquid and discard along with any excess fat.
• Set the pot over medium heat and reduce the liquid to about 3/4 of its volume, about 5 minutes. Add the browned shallots and brandied fruit. Cook until shallots are tender and sauce is warmed through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the lamb and squash and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with steamed rice, couscous or thick slices of a crusty sourdough loaf.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Trim the fat off the lamb shanks, leaving only a thin layer. Salt and pepper them.
• Select a pan with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough for the shanks to rest side by side. Without adding any oil or water, warm the pan over low heat, place the shanks inside and brown them on all sides, allowing about 15 minutes for each side. This will take about 1 hour.
• When the shanks are browned, remove them from the pan. Add the diced carrot and shallots and the garlic cloves to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Deglaze the pan by adding 1/2 cup of water and scraping the bottom with a spoon. Add another cup of water, along with the thyme sprigs and celery leaves, and return the shanks to the pan. Lower the heat so that the liquid is barely simmering and cover the pan tightly to prevent steam from escaping. Braise the shanks for 2 hours.
• Remove the shanks from the pan and place them in a warm oven while you prepare the sauce. To make the sauce, puree the cooking juices, vegetables and garlic cloves in a food processor. Put this mixture into another pan, warm over low heat and add a generous amount of black pepper. Thin the sauce with water if necessary; it should be slightly viscous but still capable of being poured in an even stream.
• Mix the gremolata ingredients together and set aside. Remove the meat from the bones and arrange it on a warm platter or individual plates. Pour the sauce over and around the meat and sprinkle liberally with the gremolata.

ROSEMARY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook shanks until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer shanks to plate.
• Add onions, carrots and garlic to pot and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, tomatoes, chicken broth and beef broth. Season with rosemary and thyme. Return shanks to pot, pressing down to submerge. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.
• Remove cover from pot. Simmer about 20 minutes longer. Transfer shanks to platter, place in a warm oven. Boil juices in pot until thickened, about 15 minutes. Spoon over shanks.