TEN-HOUR BRAISED LAMB NECK WITH WILTED CREASY GREENS

TEN-HOUR BRAISED LAMB NECK WITH WILTED CREASY GREENS image

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 11

For Lamb Neck
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 lb lamb neck
3 cups Pinot Noir or other light red wine
3 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or lamb stock
For Greens
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 cups creasy greens, tender arugula, or watercress, tough stems discarded

Steps:

Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle. BRAISE LAMB: Put carrots, celery, and onion in a small roasting pan or baking dish slightly larger than lamb neck. Season lamb neck with ¾ tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and put on top of vegetables. Bake, uncovered, 6 hours. About 30 minutes before lamb is done, boil wine in a 2-qt heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1½ cups, about 10 minutes. Add stock and return to a boil. Remove lamb from oven and pour wine mixture into roasting pan. Cover pan with foil and braise in oven until meat is almost falling off the bone, about 4 hours more. Remove lamb neck from braising liquid and use a fork to scrape meat away from bones (you should have about 3 cups meat). COOK GREENS Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then cook greens with a large pinch of salt and pepper, tossing, until just wilted, about 1 minute. Serve lamb with greens. COOKS' NOTE: Lamb can be braised 2 days ahead and cooled in braising liquid, then chilled (covered once cool). Reheat in braising liquid, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven for 30 minutes before scraping meat from bones and serving. Photograph by Marcus Nilsson by Sam Beall, Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee