Best Spice Braised Lamb Shanks With Lentils Recipes

Slow Roasted Lamb Shanks with Braised Lentils image

Provided by Massimo Ormani

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 1/2 cups chopped red onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced peeled carrots
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 large lamb shanks (about 6 pounds total)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 juniper berries* (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
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.

Lamb Shank & Lentil Soup image

Provided by bluemoon downunder

Categories Clear Soup

Time 11m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 tablespoon oil
4 lamb shanks
2 onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
6 cups chicken stock
3 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 (400 g) can whole canned tomatoes, undrained
1 (400 g) can brown lentils, undrained
500 g butternut pumpkin, cubed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
4 crusty rolls, to serve

Steps:

Heat the oil in a large (preferably non-stick) saucepan (one which you can cover, in a later step), add the lamb and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until the lamb has browned; remove and set aside.
Add a little more oil if it is needed (but if you are using a non-stick pan this shouldn't be necessary), then add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until they are tender.
Return the lamb to the saucepan with the stock, potatoes and tomatoes and simmer covered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the undrained brown lentils, pumpkin and thyme; season to taste; and simmer uncovered for a further 30-40 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
Serve - garnished with parsley - in large bowls and crusty rolls.