Lamb Shanks With Cannellini Beans Recipes

LAMB SHANKS ON CANNELLINI BEANS

Steps:

• Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add lamb;cook 12 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from skillet.
• Add carrots,onions, and celery to skillet;saute 3 minutes. Add wine. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes.
• Stir in broth, rosemary, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Return lamb to skillet (skillet will be very full). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours or until lamb is very tender, turning lamb once. Remove lamb from skillet, bring liquid to a boil, and cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
• Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans; place in Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Drain.
• Cook bacon in the Dutch oven over med-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from Dutch oven, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon. Heat drippings over med-high heat. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes or until golden. Stir in beans and bacon; remove from heat.
• Divide beans evenly among 6 plates, arrange lamb on beans. Spoon sauce over lamb. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Make lamb shanks:
• Pat lamb shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart heavy flameproof casserole heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown lamb shanks well in batches, transferring to a plate as browned. To casserole add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sauté until onion is softened. Add wine and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 3 cups. Return lamb shanks to casserole and stir in broth, tomato paste, and thyme. Bring liquid to a boil and simmer, covered, stirring and turning lamb shanks occasionally, 1 1/2 hours. Simmer mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 1 hour more, or until lamb shanks are tender.
• Make the gremolata while lamb is cooking:
• In a small bowl stir together gremolata ingredients.
• Make beans while lamb is cooking:
• In a saucepan heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, stirring, 2 or 3 minutes, or until softened. Add beans, 2 cups broth, butter, and bay leaf and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally and adding enough remaining broth to keep beans moist and to reach a creamy consistency, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and add half of gremolata and salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer lamb shanks to a plate and keep warm, covered with foil. Strain braising liquid through a sieve into a saucepan, discarding solids, and stir in butter and tarragon. Boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly. Strain sauce through sieve into a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Sprinkle lamb shanks with remaining gremolata and serve with beans and sauce.