Best Lamb Shanks Braised In Merlot With Figs Recipes
LAMB SHANKS WITH MERLOT RECIPE
There are few more alluring -- and satisfying -- dishes than braises, especially now that there's a little chill in the air. Inevitably, they're fork-tender and flavorful, glossy with rich, aromatic sauces of stock and wine. That's why it's hard to resist the braised veal cheeks at Maple Drive, the pork shanks at Jar or the short ribs at Melisse. Or osso buco anywhere.Chefs will have you believe that braising is a technique that requires years of practice, but the truth is, anyone who can brown a piece of meat and add some liquid can make a great braise.We're not talking Grandma's pot roast. Once you understand a few simple principles it's easy to create braises as elegant and flavorful as those you find in great restaurants.As a technique, braising couldn't be simpler. You just brown whatever it is you're going to braise (in oil or butter), add liquids -- wine, stock or even cider or Armagnac -- cover, and cook slowly until it's tender. Add aromatics to the liquid -- onion, carrots, herbs, spices -- and the flavors will suffuse whatever you're braising. The simmering can happen on top of the stove or in the oven. The bonus? The marvelous aromas that fill the house as a veal shank or pork shoulder roast simmers slowly throughout a lazy afternoon.The secret to achieving superlative braised meat dishes is twofold.First, make sure to brown the meat really well. Use olive oil or butter, depending on the flavor you're looking for -- or a combination, if you want the old-world richness of butter and the flavor of olive oil. Use a heavy pan, but preferably not a nonstick one so you can deglaze the pan and release all the caramelized flavor that was cooked into the braising liquid, which will become the sauce.Second, use flavorful liquids to braise. Red or white wine and homemade stocks ensure delicious results. And don't be afraid to raid the liquor cabinet: Vermouth, Armagnac, Cognac, Calvados -- all these can add elegance and depth of flavor to a braise.The word "braise" comes from the French word for glowing embers. Once upon a time, braziers -- heavy, round pots with heavy lids -- were used to cook meat and vegetables slowly while suspended over coals with a small amount of liquid inside. The pots were tightly covered so the moisture -- and all the flavor -- stayed trapped inside. On top of the lid was a depression on which more hot coals could be placed, allowing the braise to cook slowly from above and below. In those days, braziers were used in place of ovens, which most people didn't own, but braising in an oven has much the same effect.Braising is forgiving. You can easily overcook a lamb chop, but when you braise, you can't really make any mistakes. You could braise a shoe in veal stock and red wine and that would probably taste good. Although the process takes a couple of hours, it's not at all labor-intensive: Once the pot is simmering on top of the stove or in the oven, the braise cooks itself.As the braising progresses, the flavors of the meat, seasonings and aromatic vegetables infuse the cooking liquid, which can then easily be turned into a sauce. Fennel seeds, garlic and sliced fresh fennel work gorgeously with pork; thyme or rosemary are naturals with lamb. Adding tomato to just about any meat takes a sauce into a different dimension. Bay leaves, mirepoix (diced onion, carrot and celery), dried fruit -- the possibilities are endless.Making the sauce can be as simple as skimming the fat from the braising liquid, then reducing it a little (as with our cider-braised pork with fennel). Or, if it wants body, you might whisk in a little beurre manie, a bit of flour blended into softened butter with a fork. Flouring the meat before browning it achieves a similar effect, though sometimes it's nice to brown meat without flouring it.Braising is ideal for do-ahead cooking -- in fact, most braises are even better the next day. They're the perfect thing to make on a weekend, when you can take your time and bask in the aromas. The next day (or a couple of days later) the flavors will have deepened, and you can breeze in after a long work day, lift off any solidified fat, reheat the dish and enjoy an amazing, warming dinner.But last-minute types shouldn't ignore the technique; it's a great -- and quick -- way to add a measure of glamour to winter vegetables such as kale, cauliflower, celery hearts or bok choy. You can even quickly braise fish or shellfish.Many different meats respond well to braising. You can use a large cut such as a bottom round roast for the classic boeuf a la mode (OK, it's a forgotten classic). For this dish, the beef is larded, then marinated in wine, garlic, onions and herbs, then braised. Or you can braise small pieces, as in stew meat. Or try something in-between: lamb or veal shanks or cut-up chicken or duck.Where larger cuts of meat are concerned, tough or fatty ones work best. The fat in the meat is a natural baster in the long, slow cooking process that tenderizes tough cuts and melds all the flavors. For stew, using meat with enough fat is essential for ensuring tenderness.To braise meats, choose a covered, heavy pan that isn't too much larger than whatever you're braising; that way you won't need too much liquid and the flavors will concentrate. Dutch ovens work well.Braising is the ideal treatment for lamb shanks, which are wonderfully rich, meaty and inexpensive; they're terrific braised in red wine. For our version, we chose Merlot, but Cabernet, Zinfandel or Syrah would work just as well. Chicken and beef broth are combined with the wine (though straight beef broth would be fine, too). Prunes macerated in Port deepen the flavor and, along with dried apricots, add a touch of faintly North African sweetness. The result is a meltingly tender, very rich dish with a beautiful, deep, dark sauce. Serve it with couscous or mashed turnips.When preparing lamb shanks for braising, remove any tough silver skin from the outside of the shanks. Use the tip of a small knife to loosen and pull it off. Once the shanks are seasoned and coated with flour, brown them in oil. Try to get a good even browning over the shanks; the browning will give the sauce a rich color and seal the juices in the meat.Pork pot roasts are wonderful braised, and hard cider is a natural medium. Pork butt (actually part of the shoulder) has enough fat and flavor to yield very rich, tender, delicious slices of meat when prepared this way. We garnish them with sliced braised fennel and a little fleur de sel mixed with fennel seed.Our osso buco is a fairly classic version of everyone's favorite veal shank dish. Pancetta and cipollini (an onion-like bulb) are sauteed, along with colorful mirepoix, and added to the shanks braising in veal stock. (You can make your own veal stock, pick up a good frozen one at a well-stocked supermarket or even substitute a good chicken stock.) We've foregone the traditional garnish of gremolata -- chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest -- in favor of serving it with parsley-flecked lemon risotto.When preparing osso buco for braising, be sure to tie a string tightly around each veal shank to hold the meat on the bone as it cooks. When turning the veal, do so gently, so the precious marrow doesn't fall out of the bone. You want it intact, so you can scoop it out with a spoon and savor every last bit.If you want to break out of the rut of spartan lightly steamed vegetables, try braising them. One of our favorite sides to accompany Asian-style fish or pork dishes is braised baby bok choy. It couldn't be simpler. Slice the bok choy in half lengthwise. Heat a little peanut or canola oil in a saute pan. Place the bok choy flat side down and let it sear till it's just a little brown. Sear on the other side, add a little chicken stock and tamari, cover and simmer until just tender. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil -- or toasted sesame seeds -- finishes it.For a light starter, braise whole trimmed leeks in nothing more than salted water -- these don't even need to be browned first -- then dress them in a simple vinaigrette, add a drizzle of crushed pink peppercorns, and serve them at room temperature.Celery hearts completely change character when braised. Quarter and trim the hearts, brown them in a little butter or olive oil, add chicken stock, maybe a little white wine and a branch of thyme and simmer, uncovered, about 25 minutes, until the liquid is almost gone. They'll be nicely glazed.You may never settle for raw celery sticks again.First step for flavorBrowning the meat before braising creates a golden-brown crust that seals in the flavor. Season and flour the meat, then cook it in oil or butter over medium heat, turning it to brown evenly on all sides. To deglaze the pan, turn the heat to high and pour in a small amount of wine or stock. Stir to loosen all the small bits of caramelized meat that have stuck to the pan. Then add braising liquid and meat.
Provided by Leslie Brenner
Categories MAINS
Time 2h50m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Place the plums in a small bowl and pour the Port over them. Set aside.
- Remove any tough silver skin from the lamb shanks by lifting it with the tip of a knife, then peeling and cutting it off. Rub the surface of each shank with the garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a plastic bag. Add the lamb shanks one at a time and shake to coat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the lamb shanks and cook until brown on all sides, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the lamb from the skillet to a roasting pan large enough to hold the shanks in a single layer.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic to the drippings in the skillet and saute about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced rosemary. Blend the tomato paste with 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth and stir in. Add the remaining chicken broth, beef broth and Merlot.
- Drain the Port from the plums (reserving the plums) and add. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the mixture over the lamb shanks. Add the soaked plums, the apricots and the bay leaf.
- Cover the roasting pan, place on the middle rack of a 325-degree oven and braise for 1 hour, basting after about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the shanks over in the broth. Braise for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting after 30 minutes, until the lamb is fork tender.
- Arrange the lamb shanks on a platter and keep warm. Bring the sauce in the roasting pan to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- To serve, spoon the vegetables and some of the sauce over the lamb. Pour the remaining sauce into a gravy boat. Garnish the platter with a few sprigs of rosemary.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH FRESH HERBS
Bone-in lamb shanks are perfect for braising. The marrow in the bones releases into the sauce, deepening its flavor, while the tough meat softens into perfect tenderness during the long, slow cooking. In this recipe (very loosely based on a Georgian stew called chakapuli) the shanks are cooked with a prodigious amount of fresh herbs, adding fragrance and body. You can braise this several days in advance, then reheat it on the stove. The flavors get even better after having a chance to meld. Just don't add the final herbal garnish until right before serving. A little bread, polenta or rice would be just the thing to soak up the heady sauce, though a spoon works, too.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, soups and stews, main course
Time 4h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- In a large bowl (or covered container) large enough to hold the lamb, mix together salt, paprika and pepper. Add shanks and rub all over with spice mix. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hours (or up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator.
- Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a very thin film of olive oil. Sear the lamb in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, adding more oil as needed. Take your time with this, making sure to brown the lamb all over. Transfer browned lamb to a roasting pan.
- When all the lamb is cooked, add onion to empty skillet and cook it in the lamb drippings, adding a more oil if pan looks dry, until limp and lightly browned at the edges, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, coriander, cayenne and allspice and cook until the garlic is very fragrant and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of pan. Let mixture simmer until thickened and reduced by about a third (about 5 minutes). Pour over lamb.
- In a bowl, toss together scallions, spicy greens, and herbs. Sprinkle lamb with half the herb mixture and set remaining half aside for serving. Cover pan with two layers of foil (or heavy-duty foil) and bake until meat is falling off the bones, 3 to 3 1/2 hours total, turning shanks every hour so they cook evenly. If the bottom of the pan starts to dry out before lamb is done, add a few tablespoons of the stock or water to moisten it.
- When shanks are tender, transfer to a heated serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. If you like, at this point you can tear the meat off the bones; or, serve the shanks bone-in.
- On top of the stove, heat roasting pan over medium-low heat. If pan is dry, add remaining stock or water and bring to a simmer. (If drippings in pan seem very fatty, spoon off some of the fat.) Add currants and bring drippings to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits on bottom of pan.
- Once the liquid is reduced to a thin glaze, add butter to pan along with all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining herbs (save those 2 tablespoons for garnish). Whisk sauce until smooth, then taste and add lemon juice as needed. Pour sauce over the lamb and garnish with chopped herbs. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 852, UnsaturatedFat 28 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 57 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 64 grams, SaturatedFat 24 grams, Sodium 1184 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
LAMB SHANKS BRAISED IN MERLOT WITH FIGS
I found this on a New Zealand site whilst looking for ways to use up a heap of dried figs Russell brought home. Prep time doesn't include marinating.
Provided by JustJanS
Categories Stew
Time 3h
Yield 3-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Place the lamb shanks in a deep dish with the onions celery, olives, capers, dried figs, black pepper, rosemary and garlic.
- Pour over the merlot and marinate, covered, in the fridge for at least 4 hours-24 hours for preference.
- Remove the shanks from the marinade.
- Reserve the marinade.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and brown the shanks on all sides.
- Transfer them to a casserole dish.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir over a moderately high heat until it becomes a deep reddish brown colour.
- add the stock and bring to the boil.
- Pour over the meat and add the reserved marinade ingredients.
- Cover and cook at 160c for 2-2 1/2 hours or until the meat is nearly falling foo the bone.
- Season to taste, serve over mash with greens on the side.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS
Provided by Food Network
Time 4h10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and cook, in batches if necessary, turning with tongs, until well browned, about 10 minutes each batch. Remove the lamb shanks with tongs to a plate and set aside.
- Stir the onions, carrots, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic into the dutch oven and cook, stirring, until the onions are very soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of the wine and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
- Return the lamb shanks to the pot and braise the mixture, tightly covered, in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover and braise for 2 more hours, turning the shanks every 30 minutes. Stir in the turnips and the remaining 1/2 cup of the wine, and continue to braise, in the oven for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- While the lamb shanks are braising, make the gremolata: chop together the rosemary, orange zest, and garlic. Place each lamb shank on a serving plate, top with the vegetables, sprinkle with gremolata and serve immediately.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS
Succulent braised lamb shanks slow cooked in a red wine, tomato, and fresh basil sauce. Serve with mushroom risotto and grilled zucchini.
Provided by Mrs Savage
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Shanks
Time 3h20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Place the onions in a layer in the bottom of a Dutch oven or medium roasting pan with a lid. Arrange the lamb shanks on top of the onions. Pour the wine, balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the lamb. Place a clove of pressed garlic next to each shank, and a quarter of a lemon on each side. Pour the tomatoes over everything, then season with salt, pepper and basil.
- Cover and place in the preheated oven. Cook for 3 hours. Use juices from the pan to make a nice flavorful gravy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 572.4 calories, Carbohydrate 34.4 g, Cholesterol 86.3 mg, Fat 25.2 g, Fiber 6.3 g, Protein 32.5 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 1851.3 mg, Sugar 17.9 g
LAMB SHANKS WITH MERLOT AND GARLIC
Lamb shanks become tender and juicy when braised in a good Pacific Northwest Merlot. If your pot is smaller than 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter, ask your butcher to crack the bones so the shanks will fit. Serve with lots of fresh crusty bread to mop up the sauce. From The Pacific Northwest (Williams-Sonoma New American Cooking) by Jean Galton.
Provided by lazyme
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 2h20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Trim off any excess fat from the lamb shanks.
- Sprinkle the shanks with the salt and pepper.
- Spread the flour on a plate and turn the shanks in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- In a large, heavy ovenproof pot over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- Add the shanks (in batches, if necessary) and brown well on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the shanks to a plate.
- Wipe out the pot.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 3-4 minutes.
- Return the shanks to the pot along with the potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, wine, and stock.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue to bake until the Iamb is very tender, about 30 minutes longer.
- Transfer the shanks to a platter.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and carrots to the platter.
- Cover and keep warm.
- Using a large spoon, skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce remaining in the pot.
- Lift out and discard the bay leaves and the thyme.
- Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Cook the sauce until it reduces and is lightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
- Pour the sauce around the meat.
- Sprinkle the meat and vegetables with the parsley and mint.
ROSEMARY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS
Lamb shanks are slowly simmered with fresh rosemary, garlic, tomatoes, and red wine. Great served with polenta, or my family's favorite--roasted garlic mashed potatoes--as you need something to soak up the wonderful sauce. A fantastic dish for company, as all the prep work is done at the beginning, and then you just have to wait.
Provided by S. HODGE
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook shanks until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer shanks to plate.
- Add onions, carrots and garlic to pot and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, tomatoes, chicken broth and beef broth. Season with rosemary and thyme. Return shanks to pot, pressing down to submerge. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 2 hours.
- Remove cover from pot. Simmer about 20 minutes longer. Transfer shanks to platter, place in a warm oven. Boil juices in pot until thickened, about 15 minutes. Spoon over shanks.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 480.5 calories, Carbohydrate 17.6 g, Cholesterol 92.7 mg, Fat 21.8 g, Fiber 3.1 g, Protein 30.3 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 758.7 mg, Sugar 7.3 g
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