SPRING LAMB SHANKS, BRAISED

Spring Lamb Shanks, Braised image

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 3h30m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

8 medium to small lamb shanks, about 6 pounds total
4 tablespoons olive oil or other vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine, kosher for Passover if necessary
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 large sprigs fresh Italian parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Juice of 1 lemon

Steps:

In a large, heavy covered casserole or roasting pan, large enough to hold the lamb shanks, heat half the oil. Add the lamb shanks, a few at a time, and brown them well on all sides. Remove them from the pan.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add the remaining oil to the pan, lower the heat and saute the onion, leeks and celery until they are soft and lightly browned. Stir in all but one-half teaspoon of the garlic, then add the wine. Simmer for a few minutes, scraping the browned particles from the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the rosemary, parsley sprigs and bay leaves. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, then return the lamb to the pan. Cover and place in the oven to bake until the lamb is very tender, about three hours.
While the lamb is baking, mix the remaining garlic with the minced parsley and lemon peel and set aside.
When the lamb is tender, remove it from the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer on top of the stove and taste it for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Dissolve the potato starch or cornstarch in the cold water and stir it in to thicken the sauce, then stir in the lemon juice. Return the lamb to the pan and baste it with the sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve or, if desired, prepare it in advance and reheat it just before serving.
Transfer the lamb to a platter and spoon the sauce over it. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, garlic and lemon peel mixture and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 800, UnsaturatedFat 27 grams, Carbohydrate 6 grams, Fat 53 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 64 grams, SaturatedFat 23 grams, Sodium 995 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram