BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH LEEKS AND HARICOT BEANS

Braised Lamb Shanks with Leeks and Haricot Beans image

Users of The Kitchen Diaries may feel they recognize this recipe. Previously I have always made it with cubed lamb, but I recently tried it with lamb shanks and left it overnight before reheating it. The presence of the bone and fat and the good night's sleep have made such a difference that I thought it worth repeating here. You could make it a day or two in advance to good end.

Yield enough for 4

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

dried haricot beans - 1 1/2 cups (300g)
bay leaves - 3
olive oil
small lamb shanks - 4
large leeks - 4, trimmed
butter - a thick slice, about 4 tablespoons (60g)
garlic - 2 cloves
thyme leaves - a tablespoon, chopped
all-purpose flour - a tablespoon
light stock or water - 2 3/4 cups (650ml)
the juice and zest of a lemon
a handful of parsley, chopped
a handful of mint leaves

Steps:

Soak the beans overnight in cold water. The next day, drain them, put them into a deep saucepan, and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, skim off the froth, add a bay leaf, and a drop or two of olive oil and simmer for about forty minutes. Turn off the heat and leave them in the water.
Warm a glug of olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Season the lamb shanks all over with salt and black pepper, then lower them into the pot. They should sizzle when they hit the oil. Turn the meat from time to time until it has colored nicely on all sides (we are talking pale honey color rather than deep brown). Remove the meat from the pot and set aside on a plate to catch any escaping juices.
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Cut the leeks into chunks roughly the length of a wine cork, wash them thoroughly, making sure no grit or sand is trapped in their many layers, then put them in the casserole together with the butter, keeping the heat low. Cover with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper, then cover with a lid (the paper will encourage them to cook in their own steam rather than brown). Cook them on the stove until they have started to soften, a good twenty minutes or so. You will need to give them an occasional stir.
Remove and discard the paper. Peel and thinly slice the garlic and add it to the pot with the thyme and the remaining bay leaves. Sprinkle the flour over the top and continue cooking for three or four minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock or water, then drain the beans and add them too. Season with salt and pepper.
Return the shanks and any collected juices to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven for an hour and a half, or until the lamb is completely tender. Sometimes it takes two hours. You should be able to remove it from the bone with little effort (then again, it shouldn't actually be falling apart). Remove from the oven, stir in most of the lemon juice and zest, parsley, and mint, then scatter the rest.