Spiced Braised Lamb With Carrots And Spinach Recipes

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH CARROTS, BLACK PEPPER AND MISO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add the oil. Sprinkle the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to arrange the lamb in a single layer in the hot oil. Brown the lamb on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes total. Remove the lamb to a medium bowl.
• Stir the onions into the grease and sprinkle them lightly with salt. Cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the carrots, garlic and parsnips. Season with salt and add the brown sugar. Cook until the vegetables become slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add the vermouth and cook until all of the liquid cooks out, an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the beef stock, miso paste and mustard. Add the lamb back into the stew. Cover and place in the center of the oven. Cook until the meat is tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Use a large spoon to skim any excess fat or impurities from the surface of the sauce. Taste for seasoning. Stir in the vinegar. Allow to rest for 15 minutes, then top with the coarsely ground pepper and parsley. Serve immediately.

BRAISED-LAMB SHANK SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Prepare lamb: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown them in batches, transferring each to a plate when browned. Add onions and herb sprigs and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Return the shanks to the Dutch oven with the wine, broth, and water and bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and braise until fork tender, about 2 hours. Transfer shanks to a plate. Discard herb sprigs. Pour cooking liquid (including onions) into a large glass measure.
• Prepare potatoes and boil carrots while lamb roasts: Pierce each potato once with a fork and bake on rack in lower third of oven until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool potatoes 10 minutes, then halve lengthwise and scoop out flesh. Force warm potatoes through ricer into a bowl. Stir in milk, and salt, pepper, to taste.
• Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.
• Make gravy: Skim fat from cooking liquid (you'll have about 2 1/2 cups broth). Put the cooking liquid in a saucepan and bring to boil. Knead the flour and softened butter into a paste and whisk it into the liquid. Return the gravy to a boil to thicken and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Cut lamb meat from bones, then tear meat into bite-size pieces. Stir meat into gravy and set aside.
• Assemble and bake pie: Spoon lamb-shank mixture into a 12 by 3-inch oval gratin dish or a 2 1/2 to 3-quart shallow baking dish, spreading evenly. Scatter carrots over lamb, then top with creamed spinach, spreading evenly. Top spinach with mashed potatoes, spreading evenly to edges of dish to cover filling completely. Make swirl patterns on surface of potatoes with back of spoon, then drizzle with the melted butter.
• Put baking dish in a foil-lined shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan to catch drips and bake until top is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour.
• Cook spinach according to package directions. Whisk in Parmesan, salt, nutmeg, and pepper, to taste.

INSTANT POT BRAISED LAMB WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Pour 2 Tbsp. oil into Instant Pot and heat on Sauté setting on high until shimmering. Season lamb chops on all sides with pepper and 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Working in two batches, cook lamb in Instant Pot until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onion and garlic to hot oil in pot and cook, still on high Sauté setting and stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Pour in wine and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until wine is slightly reduced and steam no longer smells boozy, 2-3 minutes. Pour in 2 cups hot water. Nestle chops and rosemary sprigs into pot, arranging in an even layer. Turn off Sauté setting. Lock on lid and cook at high pressure 20 minutes, then release pressure manually.
• Transfer lamb to a large bowl; discard rosemary stems. Return heat to high Sauté setting and reduce braising liquid slightly while you shred lamb into bite-size pieces; remove and discard bones. Stir lamb and beans back into liquid in pot, then turn off heat. Add spinach and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and stir until spinach is just wilted. Stir in lemon juice.
• Divide lamb mixture among bowls. Drizzle with oil and serve with lemon wedges and bread alongside (if using).

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH RUTABAGA AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pat lamb shanks dry. In a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) large enough to fit 1 lamb shank heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and brown lamb shanks, 1 at a time, transferring as browned to a 9-quart heavy ovenproof kettle. Pour off fat from skillet and cook onions in remaining tablespoons oil over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. To kettle add onion mixture, tomatoes with juice, water, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, allspice, orange peel, salt, and pepper to taste and bring liquid to a boil. Braise lamb, covered, in oven until just tender, about 1 3/4 hours.
• Stir in rutabaga and carrots and braise, covered, in oven until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Braised lamb shanks improve in flavor if made 1 day ahead. Cool mixture, uncovered, and chill, covered. Skim fat, discarding it, and reheat lamb, if chilled, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Transfer lamb and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a platter and boil braising liquid until reduced to about 4 cups.
• Remove meat from 2 lamb shanks and chop fine, reserving chopped meat and 1 cup braising liquid for making pastitsio .
• Return remaining 4 lamb shanks and vegetables to kettle and simmer, covered, until heated through.
• Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle lamb and vegetables with parsley and serve with rice.

BRAISED-LAMB SHANK SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Prepare lamb:
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Put lamb shanks in a large metal roasting pan, then rub with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange onion wedges around lamb. Roast lamb in middle of oven 40 minutes. Turn shanks over, scatter with herb sprigs, and roast 40 minutes more.
• Pour wine, broth, and water into roasting pan. Cover pan tightly with foil and braise lamb until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer shanks to a plate and remove and discard skins from onions. Pour cooking liquid (including onions) into a large glass measure (do not clean roasting pan).
• Prepare potatoes and boil carrots while lamb roasts:
• Pierce each potato once with a fork and bake on rack in lower third of oven until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Cool potatoes 10 minutes, then halve lengthwise and scoop out flesh. Force warm potatoes through ricer into a bowl. Stir in salt, milk, and pepper to taste.
• Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.
• Make gravy:
• Skim fat from cooking liquid (you'll have about 2 1/2 cups broth). Whisk together 1 cup broth and flour in a large bowl to make a thin paste, then whisk in remaining broth (including onions). Set roasting pan across 2 burners and pour broth mixture into pan. Boil over moderate heat, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut lamb meat from bones, then tear meat into bite-size pieces. Stir meat into gravy.
• Assemble and bake pie:
• Reduce oven to 350°F.
• Spoon lamb-shank mixture into a 12- by 3-inch oval gratin dish or a 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish, spreading evenly. Scatter carrots over lamb, then top with creamed spinach, spreading evenly. Top spinach with mashed potatoes, spreading evenly to edges of dish to cover filling completely. Make swirl patterns on surface of potatoes with back of spoon, then drizzle with melted butter.
• Put baking dish in a foil-lined shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pan to catch drips and bake until top is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour.

SLOW BRAISED LAMB

Steps:

• Toss lamb chunks in seasoned flour, then shake off excess.
• Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry lamb chunks all over to brown. Do this in batches. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole.
• Add 2 tbsp more olive oil to the pan and fry onion to soften but not brown. Add to lamb. Next add carrots and celery and lightly brown. Add to lamb with garlic. Pour over stock and wine and bring to bubbling. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Turn down to simmer, then cook over lowest heat for around 1 ¼ hours, or until lamb is tender. Sprinkle with parsley.
• Meanwhile, cook potatoes in lightly salted boiling water until soft to the point of a knife. Mash with extra virgin olive oil and egg to fabulous creaminess. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Briefly toss spinach in a pan with a little salted water to wilt. Drain.
• Serve lamb with mash and spinach on the side. Drizzle mash with more extra virgin olive oil.

LOIN OF LAMB, WILTED SPINACH, CARROTS & ROSEMARY POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a pan, cover the potatoes with cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 mins until just cooked. Drain and allow to cool slightly, then cut into quarters.
• Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat until hot, then add 45ml of the oil. Add the potatoes, along with the carrots and garlic. Season, toss to coat with oil, then add half the butter and rosemary. Once there's some colour on the potatoes, transfer everything to a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 25-30 mins.
• Meanwhile, place an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add the remaining oil. Season the lamb all over and, when the oil is quite hot, add it to the pan.
• Fry the lamb for 1-2 mins each side, using tongs to press down gently to caramelise and render the fat. Season again and put in the oven for 5-7 mins until just cooked. When pressed with your fingers, the lamb should have a bounce to it. Remove from the frying pan and set aside in a warm place.
• While the lamb rests, make the sauce. Add the red wine to the roasting juices in the frying pan over a medium-high heat. Reduce by two-thirds, then add the redcurrant jelly. Once the jelly has melted, add the lamb stock and reduce until it is the consistency of double cream.
• Once the sauce is nearly reduced, put a separate pan on a low heat and melt the remaining butter. Add the spinach to wilt and season.
• To serve, divide the potatoes between four warmed plates. Cut each piece of lamb into about five slices and place next to the potatoes. Arrange the carrots and spinach around the lamb. Spoon the sauce over everything and decorate with pieces of garlic and rosemary. Scatter a pinch of salt over each plate and serve.

BRAISED LAMB WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a blender purée the garlic and the gingerroot with 1/3 cup water. In a heavy kettle heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the lamb, patted dry, in batches, transferring it as it is browned with tongs to a bowl. To the skillet add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, heat it until it is hot but not smoking, and in it fry the cinnamon stick, the cloves, and the bay leaf, stirring, for 30 seconds, or until the cloves are puffed slightly. Add the onions and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden. Add the garlic purée and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the liquid is evaporated. Add the cumin, the coriander, and the cayenne and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and the yogurt, simmer the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute, and add the lamb, the salt, and 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil and braise it, covered, in a preheated 350°F. oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until the lamb is tender. The lamb mixture may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance. Let the lamb cool, uncovered, and chill it, covered. Reheat the lamb mixture.
• In a large saucepan bring 1 inch water to a boil, add the spinach, and steam it, covered, for 2 minutes, or until it is wilted. Drain the spinach in a colander.
• Spoon off any excess fat from the lamb mixture and add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Distribute the spinach over the stew and stir it in gently. Transfer the stew to a heated serving dish and sprinkle it with the pine nuts.