Best Lamb With Braised Lentils Recipes

SLOW ROASTED LAMB SHANKS WITH BRAISED LENTILS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F. Spread onions, celery, and carrots over bottom of large roasting pan. Rub thyme and mint over lamb shanks; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place lamb shanks atop vegetables. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over. Roast uncovered 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup chicken stock over lamb and vegetables in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 425°F. Continue to roast uncovered until lamb is very tender and almost falls off bones, adding 1 cup stock to pan every 30 minutes and turning and basting lamb occasionally, about 3 hours longer. Using tongs, transfer lamb shanks to bowl; cover to keep warm.
• Transfer vegetables and pan juices to large saucepan; skim fat from surface. Add remaining 1 cup stock, wine, juniper berries if desired, and bay leaf to saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Strain, pressing on solids to extract as much vegetable pulp and liquid as possible. Return strained liquid to same saucepan; bring to boil. Mix flour and butter to blend in small bowl. Add to saucepan; whisk until sauce thickens slightly and is reduced to 2 cups, about 2 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Spoon Braised Lentils onto 4 plates. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over lentils. Top each serving with 1 lamb shank. Spoon sauce over lamb.
• Available in the spice section of most supermarkets.

SLOW-COOKED LAMB SHANKS WITH LENTIL RAGOUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to moderately slow (160c).
• Toss lamb shanks in seasoned flour, heat oil in a large saucepan and brown shanks in batches for 4-5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate.
• Saute onion, carrot, celery and chili in same pan for 4-5 minutes until onion is tender. Stir through lentils, tomatoes water, wine and vinegar and bring to the boil.
• Place the lamb and sauce mixture into a large oven proof casserole dish; bake covered, stirring a couple of times for 1 1/2 hours.
• Uncover and cook a further hour or until meat is almost falling off the bone.
• Stir parsley through and serve over mashed potatoes with green vegetables if desired.

BRAISED LAMB RIBS WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Cut lamb ribs apart and trim off heavy excess fat. With meat cleaver or sharp knife, cut each rib across into thirds so each piece is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.
• Wash lentils and pick over but do not soak.
• Place lamb ribs in cold skillet and gradually heat until they are frying and fat melts. Turn frequently so all sides brown.
• When lamb is golden brown on all sides, remove to 2-quart casserole or stew pot. Add onion and carrot to hot lamb fat in skillet and saute over moderate heat until golden brown. Stir in tomatoes and liquid, bring to boil and scrape in coagulated pan juices with wooden spatula. Pour over ribs in casserole. Add garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper and 2 cups water.
• Bring to boil, then gently stir in lentils. Add enough additional boiling water to come just to level of lentils. Bring to boil, cover, reduce to simmer and cook steadily but gently for about 2 hours or until lentils and lamb are tender. Add boiling water as needed during cooking and stir gently every half-hour or so.
• Adjust seasonings, adding a few drops of vinegar if you like.
• This can be served with rice. One cup of raw rice cooked in boiling salted water will be about right.