Best Lamb Braised With Green Olives Recipes

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH GREEN OLIVES AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• First off, you want to marinate the lamb shanks for a few hours to really penetrate the deep flavor; the wine also tenderizes the meat. Put the shanks in a large glass bowl and season with salt and pepper. Break up the thyme and rosemary with your hands to release the oils and toss them on top of the lamb. Add the lemon peel, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sugar. Pour in the bottle of wine, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
• Line a few layers of paper towels on the counter. Pull the lamb shanks out of the wine marinade (reserving it for later), and lay them out on the paper towels, cover with more paper towels and pat the meat dry really well. Put the flour in a large shallow platter and season it with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the lamb shanks in the seasoned flour; tapping off the excess.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sear the lamb shanks, turning carefully with tongs, so all sides are a brown caramel color. Drizzle with a little more oil if needed. Do this in batches if the shanks are big and look crowded in the pot. Strain marinade reserving the wine. Add the wine, remaining 2 sticks of cinnamon, remaining 2 sprigs of thyme and the stuff from the marinade. Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and add the onions, carrots, olives, and apricots; bring to a boil. Cover the pot. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer the lamb shanks to a large platter. Spoon the onions, olives, and apricots over them. Strain the braising juices and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the platter and serve with some crusty bread.

BRAISED LEG OF LAMB WITH OLIVES AND CELERY ROOT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Rub the lamb all over with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a medium saucepan, over medium high heat, and bring the stock and wine to a boil and let reduce for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat.
• Add onions to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Add carrots, parsnip, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, rosemary, sage and bay leaf; turn off heat and add enough stock to just cover the vegetables.
• Place the lamb, fatty side up, on the vegetables, and place in oven for 25 minutes.
• After 25 minutes, add remaining stock, cover pot, and reduce heat to 325 degrees F; cook 1 1/2 hours (pot should barely simmer, reduce heat, if necessary).
• Turn lamb over and cook an additional 1 1/2 hours, covered.
• Turn lamb over again, uncover pot and stir in olives; cook another half hour, turn lamb, and cook, uncovered a half hour more or until lamb is soft enough to cut with a spoon!
• Meanwhile, after the lamb has cooked about 3 hours, start the puree.
• In a large saucepan, combine celery root, peeled garlic, and bay leaves; pour in 12 cups of water and 2 tablespoons kosher salt.
• Turn burn to medium high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Drain, discard bay leaves, and transfer to a food processor.
• Add butter and nutmeg; process until smooth.
• Taste and add salt, if needed.
• When ready to serve, mash the minced garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt to form a paste; stir into the lamb's pan juices.
• Serve with a bed of celery root puree, top with a piece of lamb, scatter some of the vegetables, and drizzle with pan juices.

LAMB BRAISED WITH GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• Warm the oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, and saute the rosemary, garlic and red-pepper flakes over low-medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes, until the garlic begins to turn golden. Add enough lamb to fit comfortably in the pan, and saute, turning several times, until it is evenly browned. Transfer it to a platter. Repeat until all the lamb is cooked, adding oil as needed.
• Add the wine and the bouillon cube or broth to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced by about half. Return the lamb to the pan, add the tomato, cover and cook over very low heat for about 1 hour, until the lamb is easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
• Let the lamb sit for a few hours or overnight and reheat it. Skim off any fat, cover and simmer for half an hour, stirring in the olives during the last 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.