WINTER IS STEW TIME. EVEN IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA I FIND MYSELF YEARNING FOR HEARTY SOUPS AND BRAISED MEATS. ONE OF MY FAVORITE CUTS IS LAMB SHANK. IT'S ALMOST SOLID MEAT WITH A CENTER BONE WHICH ADDS SO MUCH FLAVOR TO THE COOKING LIQUID. USUALLY, I MAKE A FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD BRAISE WITH ONIONS, CARROTS, CELERY, TOMATOES, WHITE WINE AND STOCK. BUT I DECIDED TO TRY A MORE MIDDLE-EASTERN- INFLECTED VERSION WITH CUMIN, FENNEL SEEDS, LIME AND ORANGE RIND. I ALWAYS MAKE BRAISES A DAY AHEAD, BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO REMOVE ANY FAT WHICH CONGEALS ON THE TOP, BUT, MORE IMPORTANT, THE FLAVORS DEEPEN OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT DAY, I ADDED PEARL ONIONS AND CARROTS, WHICH COOK IN THE FEW MINUTES IT TAKES TO RE-HEAT THE LAMB SHANK. I WAS HAPPY WITH THE RESULT. THE DISH WAS LIGHTER THAN MY FRENCH VERSION AND THE CUMIN, FENNEL AND CITRUS ZESTS SEEMED THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO THIS VERY MIDDLE-EASTERN CUT OF MEAT.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º
HEAT A GLUG OF VEGETABLE OIL AND 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A DUTCH OVEN.
DRY THE LAMB THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SALT AND PEPPER. LAY THEM IN THE POT OVER A MEDIUM FLAME. BROWN ON ALL SIDES.
MEANWHILE, TRIM AND PEEL THE ONION. CUT UP ROUGHLY.
PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. CHOP ROUGHLY.
TRIM THE LEEKS. SLICE LENGTHWISE IN HALF AND RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER TO REMOVE ANY GRIT. CUT UP ROUGHLY.
ONCE THE LAMB SHANKS ARE BROWNED, REMOVE TO A PLATE AND LOWER THE HEAT. ADD THE CHOPPED ONION. STIR AND COVER. ALLOW TO SWEAT FOR 5 MINUTES. ADD THE LEEKS AND THE GARLIC. STIR AND COVER. COOK FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES, STIRRING FREQUENTLY. DON'T LET THE LEEKS BROWN.
RETURN THE SHANKS TO THE POT. POUR IN 2 CUPS OF WHITE WINE. ALLOW THE WINE TO REDUCE BY HALF.
POUR IN ENOUGH STOCK TO BARELY COVER THE SHANKS.
PUT 1 TSP OF CUMIN SEEDS AND 1 TSP OF FENNEL SEEDS IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN. STIR OVER MEDIUM HEAT TILL YOU CAN SMELL THE SCENT OF THE HERBS. GRIND TO A POWDER WITH A PINCH OF SALT IN A MORTAR AND PESTLE. ADD TO THE POT.
ADD THYME SPRIGS.
PEEL THE ZEST FROM THE ORANGE AND THE LIME. CUT INTO JULIENNE STRIPS. ADD TO THE POT.
COVER AND PLACE IN THE OVEN. COOK FOR ABOUT AND HOUR AND HALF, CHECKING THE SHANKS WITH A SERVING FORK. THEY ARE DONE WHEN EASILY PIERCED.
ALLOW TO COOL, THEN REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.
THE NEXT DAY...
BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. MEANWHILE, WITH A VERY SHARP KNIFE TRIM OFF THE ROOT AND A SMALL SLICE OF THE STEM END OF THE ONIONS.
DROP INTO THE BOILING WATER. ALLOW TO RETURN TO THE BOIL.
FILL A SINK WITH COLD WATER. DRAIN THE ONIONS AND DUMP IN THE WATER. ONCE THEY COOL A BIT, THE SKINS SHOULD SLIP OFF EASILY.
TRIM AND PEEL THE CARROTS. CUT INTO 3-INCH PIECES.
REMOVE THE LAMB SHANKS FROM THE FRIDGE. MOST OF THE FAT WILL HAVE CONGEALED AT THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID. LIFT OFF THE FAT WITH A SOUP SPOON.
PLACE THE SHANKS ON A PLATE AND REDUCE THE LIQUID BY HALF.
MEANWHILE, MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A FRYING PAN WITH A BIT OF OIL. ADD THE ONIONS. SALT AND SPRINKLE A TSP OF SUGAR OVER THE ONIONS, WHICH WILL HELP THEM TO BROWN.
RETURN THE SHANKS TO THE POT. ADD THE CARROTS. COOK FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, THEN ADD THE ONIONS.
COOK FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE ONIONS ARE DONE.
CHOP PARSLEY AND SCATTER OVER THE SHANKS.
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
Directions
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º
HEAT A GLUG OF VEGETABLE OIL AND 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A DUTCH OVEN.
DRY THE LAMB THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SALT AND PEPPER. LAY THEM IN THE POT OVER A MEDIUM FLAME. BROWN ON ALL SIDES.
MEANWHILE, TRIM AND PEEL THE ONION. CUT UP ROUGHLY.
PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. CHOP ROUGHLY.
TRIM THE LEEKS. SLICE LENGTHWISE IN HALF AND RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER TO REMOVE ANY GRIT. CUT UP ROUGHLY.
ONCE THE LAMB SHANKS ARE BROWNED, REMOVE TO A PLATE AND LOWER THE HEAT. ADD THE CHOPPED ONION. STIR AND COVER. ALLOW TO SWEAT FOR 5 MINUTES. ADD THE LEEKS AND THE GARLIC. STIR AND COVER. COOK FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES, STIRRING FREQUENTLY. DON'T LET THE LEEKS BROWN.
RETURN THE SHANKS TO THE POT. POUR IN 2 CUPS OF WHITE WINE. ALLOW THE WINE TO REDUCE BY HALF.
POUR IN ENOUGH STOCK TO BARELY COVER THE SHANKS.
PUT 1 TSP OF CUMIN SEEDS AND 1 TSP OF FENNEL SEEDS IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN. STIR OVER MEDIUM HEAT TILL YOU CAN SMELL THE SCENT OF THE HERBS. GRIND TO A POWDER WITH A PINCH OF SALT IN A MORTAR AND PESTLE. ADD TO THE POT.
ADD THYME SPRIGS.
PEEL THE ZEST FROM THE ORANGE AND THE LIME. CUT INTO JULIENNE STRIPS. ADD TO THE POT.
COVER AND PLACE IN THE OVEN. COOK FOR ABOUT AND HOUR AND HALF, CHECKING THE SHANKS WITH A SERVING FORK. THEY ARE DONE WHEN EASILY PIERCED.
ALLOW TO COOL, THEN REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.
THE NEXT DAY...
BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. MEANWHILE, WITH A VERY SHARP KNIFE TRIM OFF THE ROOT AND A SMALL SLICE OF THE STEM END OF THE ONIONS.
DROP INTO THE BOILING WATER. ALLOW TO RETURN TO THE BOIL.
FILL A SINK WITH COLD WATER. DRAIN THE ONIONS AND DUMP IN THE WATER. ONCE THEY COOL A BIT, THE SKINS SHOULD SLIP OFF EASILY.
TRIM AND PEEL THE CARROTS. CUT INTO 3-INCH PIECES.
REMOVE THE LAMB SHANKS FROM THE FRIDGE. MOST OF THE FAT WILL HAVE CONGEALED AT THE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID. LIFT OFF THE FAT WITH A SOUP SPOON.
PLACE THE SHANKS ON A PLATE AND REDUCE THE LIQUID BY HALF.
MEANWHILE, MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A FRYING PAN WITH A BIT OF OIL. ADD THE ONIONS. SALT AND SPRINKLE A TSP OF SUGAR OVER THE ONIONS, WHICH WILL HELP THEM TO BROWN.
RETURN THE SHANKS TO THE POT. ADD THE CARROTS. COOK FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES, THEN ADD THE ONIONS.
COOK FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE ONIONS ARE DONE.
CHOP PARSLEY AND SCATTER OVER THE SHANKS.
SERVES 4-6
