Braised Lamb Shanks With Dried Fruits Recipes

PASSOVER-INSPIRED BRAISED LAMB WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Season the meat with salt and pepper and put it in a pot that will fit it snugly and can later be covered. Add the spices and a 1/2 bottle of wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a slow bubble, and cover. Cook about an hour, then add onion, garlic, ginger and dried fruit, and check to make sure the liquid isn't evaporating too quickly; turn and continue to cook. Add the remaining red wine if the mixture looks dry, but essentially cook this without fuss.
• When the meat is very tender - after about 2 1/2 hours - uncover. Check and adjust the seasoning as necessary, garnish and serve.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
• Stir onion, carrots, and celery into the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and basil. Pour in chicken broth and wine; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover.
• Place covered pan in the preheated oven; bake until lamb shanks are tender, about 6 hours. Check level of liquid every 2 hours, adding more chicken broth or red wine if too much evaporates.
• Place butternut squash in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and return to the pot.
• Stir 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary. Mash with a fork until smooth. Reheat over medium heat before serving with lamb shanks.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH DRIED FRUITS

Steps:

• Make marinade:
• In a 9- to 10-quart heavy ovenproof kettle whisk together marinade ingredients.
• Add shanks to marinade and toss to coat. Marinate shanks, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Transfer shanks with tongs to a plate. Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. Pour marinade through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve vegetables, liquid, and bouquet garni separately. In kettle heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and brown shanks on all sides in batches, transferring to a plate. Add reserved vegetables to fat remaining in kettle and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add vegetables to shanks.
• Add flour to kettle and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, 3 minutes, or until golden. Whisk in reserved marinade liquid and add reserved bouquet garni, shank mixture, and tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Add water and braise mixture, covered, in middle of oven 2 hours, or until lamb is tender.
• While shanks are braising, peel and core apples and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. In a large heavy skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook apples, stirring, 2 minutes. Add orange juice and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Keep apple mixture warm.
• Arrange shanks around edge of a large platter and spoon apple mixture into center of platter. Keep shanks and apple mixture warm.
• Bring braising liquid to a boil, skimming any fat that rises to surface, and discard bouquet garni. Add dried fruits and mint and simmer sauce 5 minutes, or until fruits are softened. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over shanks. Serve any remaining sauce separately.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325�. Trim excess fat from the shanks. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil in a Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shanks and sear until nicely browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Pour off fat in pan, but leave the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add 1 teaspoon oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery and bay leaves and sweat until the vegetables are limp, adding the garlic toward the end. Add the wine and vinegar and simmer until reduced by about half. Add the broth and water and return to a simmer. Return the shanks to the pan. Add the thyme, dried plums, raisins, apricots, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, allspice, chiles and cumin. (If you want to easily remove the loose spices at the end of cooking, place the peppercorns, allspice and chiles in a cheesecloth bag or tea infuser before adding them to the pot.) The liquid in the pot should come at least halfway up on the shanks. If not, add more water or stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Braise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender, turning the shanks every hour or so and checking the liquid level. Add more liquid as needed. Remove from the oven. Discard the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and spices if desired. Simmer uncovered on the stove top until the sauce reaches the consistency you like. Season to taste. It will take more salt to get the flavors balanced. Don't be surprised if you use another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. Note: For the best presentation, buy whole lamb shanks; for the richest flavor, have the butcher to crack or saw through the shank bones crosswise, so the braising extracts the maximum amount of flavor and gelatin.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in large wide ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb in single layer; cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer lamb to rimmed baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onion and carrot and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add prunes, garlic, and cardamom and stir 2 minutes. Add both broths and bring to boil. Return lamb to pot, cover, and transfer to oven.
• Braise lamb until tender, about 1 3/4 hours. Transfer lamb to rimmed baking sheet. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return lamb to pot, turning to coat. DO AHEAD: Lamb can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, cover, and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing. Place lamb shanks on plates. Spoon sauce over.

BRAISED LAMB WITH SQUASH AND BRANDIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Halve the squash lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds and discard them. Rub the flesh of the squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt. Place 3 sprigs each of thyme and sage on a small baking sheet. Place the cut side of the squash directly on top of the herbs. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the quartered shallots cut-side down and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Set aside.
• Pat the lamb dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pot over medium-high. Cook the lamb on both sides until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
• Add the minced shallots and garlic to the pan, season with salt and stir to coat with the pan drippings. Add the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, then add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the remaining thyme and sage.
• Cover the pot with a lid or a piece of foil and move the pot to the bottom rack of the oven. Place the squash on the top rack. Bake the squash until the flesh is tender and a thin knife can be easily inserted, about 75 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Continue to cook the lamb until the meat is tender enough to pull with a fork, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours total.
• Scoop out the squash with a spoon and place on a serving plate, then transfer the lamb to the plate and cover to keep warm. Remove the braised tomatoes from the lamb cooking liquid and discard along with any excess fat.
• Set the pot over medium heat and reduce the liquid to about 3/4 of its volume, about 5 minutes. Add the browned shallots and brandied fruit. Cook until shallots are tender and sauce is warmed through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the lamb and squash and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with steamed rice, couscous or thick slices of a crusty sourdough loaf.

JINX-PROOF BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Place lamb shanks into a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil; season with salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, and thyme. Toss lamb shanks to coat with oil and seasonings.
• Roast in the preheated oven until lamb is browned, about 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in the hot butter until onion is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir flour into vegetables until combined; mix in garlic. Cook and stir for 1 more minute.
• Pour red wine into vegetable mixture, stir to combine, and mix in chicken stock, water, balsamic vinegar, and cinnamon. Pour sauce over lamb shanks in the roasting pan. Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil, sealing foil loosely so that the sauce can reduce slightly as it cooks.
• Bake lamb shanks for 1 hour; flip lamb shanks and place foil back on dish. Continue baking until a fork inserts easily into the meat, about 1 more hour. Transfer lamb shanks to a large bowl, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Pour braising liquid into a saucepan, place over high heat, and boil for 10 minutes, skimming fat as it reduces and thickens slightly. Stir chopped rosemary into sauce, check levels of salt and pepper, and serve lamb shanks with pan sauce.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Pour the oil in a casserole dish or roasting tray large enough to fit all the shanks. With the pan set over a high heat on the hob, spend a good 10 mins browning the lamb all over.
• Remove the lamb, add the onion and carrot and cook for 10 mins until starting to brown. Stir in the herbs and garlic and cook for a few mins more. Stir in the flour and tomato purée, season well then pour over the wine and stock.
• Return the lamb shanks to the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid or tightly with foil and cook in the oven, undisturbed, for 1½-2 hrs until lamb is tender. Remove the lamb from the sauce and set aside.
• Put pan back on the hob and bubble the sauce down for about 15 mins until rich and glossy. Pass through a sieve into a jug. The lamb and sauce can be stored in the fridge for two days or frozen for one month. To serve, reheat the lamb in the sauce, adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.