SAVORY LAMB SHANKS ON BUTTERED EGG NOODLES

SAVORY LAMB SHANKS ON BUTTERED EGG NOODLES image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 22

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Ingredients

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
optional: Accent for tenderizing
Wondra flour for dusting
4-8 T extra virgin olive oil
4 lamb shanks (split if possible)
1 small zucchini - diced
1 peeled medium carrot-diced
2 center celery stalks-diced
1 /2 white onion-diced
2 cloves garlic-diced
1 32 oz box chicken broth
1 14 oz can whole (San Marzano) tomatoes-diced in large chunks-see notes in recipe
4-5 T Italian parsley-chopped
1 teas dried thyme and if possible
1 bunch of fresh thyme (wrapped tightly in twine for easy removal)
kitchen twine
12 oz extra wide egg noodles
5 T unsalted melted butter
Thickening agents:
4 T Wondra flour
4T unsalted butter
6-8 T water

Steps:

Prepare the lamb shanks: Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and Accent if desired, and lightly flour. Dust off excess flour. Heat 4 T olive oil in a large skillet. Add two lamb shanks to the skillet on low or medium-low and brown on at least two sides. remove to paper towels and brown the remaining two adding more oil to the pan if needed. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and set aside separated with carrots, zucchini and celery in one group and the onion and garlic in the other. In a large (Le Creuset ) 7 1/4 Quart pot, or other large covered vessle, heat 2-3T olive oil. Add the diced celery, carrot, zucchini and saute until limp. Then add the diced onion and garlic being careful not to brown. Add the chicken broth and stir. Chop the tomatoes roughly in the can using kitchen shears so as to retain the juice. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot along with thyme bundle, 1 teas dried thyme and 1T salt and 1 teas fresh ground pepper to taste. Stir. Remove the last two shanks from the saute pan and add all of them to the pot with the sauce. Stir and fit the shanks so they are largely covered. Bake at 350 COVERED for 2-2 1/2 hours. Look at the shanks at the two hour mark and if the sauce seems runny or greasy make a thickening sauce on the stove. Combine in a small saucepan over low heat, 4 T butter; melted and add 4 T Wondra flour-stirring briskly add 4T-6t water. Add this paste to the large pot to thicken the sauce/gravy. Remove the pot from the oven when you can see the meat is just separating from the bone. Rest covered 15-20 minutes. Prepare 12 oz of egg noodles according to the package directions for al dente. Melt 4T butter in microwave if possible or in saucepan. Drain the noodles and add back into the noodle pot with melted butter. Add salt and pepper lightly to taste. Serve noodles, shank atop, gravy/sauce from the shank pot on top and then garnish with chopped Italian parsley.