Rosted Lamb Shanks With Garbanzo Beans

 

Roasted Lamb Shanks With Garbanzo Beans

Ingredients:
2 to 4 lamb shanks with bone in
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
1 sweet onion sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 to 3 cups chicken broth
5 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
6 to 8 fresh carrots unpeeled with greens removed

Directions:
Generously season lamb shanks with salt and pepper before browning in olive oil in a cast-iron Dutch oven. Remove when done.

Sauté sliced onion in the same pot for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes on medium-low heat until tomato paste darkens slightly.

Add 2 cups chicken broth, shanks, and rosemary. Cover with tight-fitting lid, remove from stovetop, and bake at 325 degrees F for 2 hours 20 minutes. 

Add canned garbanzo beans and carrots, then cook for another 40 minutes. Add more chicken broth if dry.

Notes
This meal also can be made in a slow cooker. For this method, reduce liquid to about 1 inch. Brown the shanks before adding them to the 

bed of onions in the slow cooker. Add all the ingredients in at the same time and cook for about 3 hours on high..

Lamb Kleftiko With Herb-Pistachio Yogurt

Lamb Kleftiko with Herb-Pistachio Pesto Yogurt

Kleftiko translates to stolen meat, and it’s named after Greek rebels called the klephts, who challenged Ottoman rule of Greece and roamed the country from the 14th to 19th centuries. When they stole sheep, they would slow-cook them in covert pits to avoid being caught. Here, the traditional Easter dish features lamb shanks and potatoes gently braised in a lemony broth flavoured with oregano and mustard. A tangy, herby yogurt sauce brings a freshness and vibrancy to the tender meat and spuds.  Serves 6

Ingredients:
Herb-Pistachio Pesto Yogurt
1 stalk green garlic, white and light green parts only, or 2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh dill fronds, plus more to garnish
1/4 cup (60 mL) flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup (60 mL) shelled raw pistachios
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 tub (500 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt

Lamb
5 medium-size Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 large cooking onion, peeled, cut in 6 wedges
1 large tomato, cored, cut in 6 wedges
3 bay leaves
6 lamb shanks, about 6 lbs (2.72 kg) total, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano
1 tbsp (15 mL) mustard powder
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper
6 sprigs fresh oregano
Directions:
For the pesto yogurt, place garlic, herbs and pistachios in a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop. With motor running, slowly pour in olive oil, stopping and scraping down bowl as necessary, until it becomes a paste. Transfer 1 tbsp (15 mL) to a ramekin to garnish. Mix remaining pesto with yogurt. Transfer to an airtight container. (Cover and refrigerate both up to 2 days.) When ready to serve, transfer yogurt to a serving bowl and garnish with pesto and dill.

For the lamb, preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 16-inch (40-cm) round, 3-inch (8-cm) deep roasting pan or 3 × 11 × 16-inch (8 × 28 × 40-cm) rectangular roasting pan with parchment paper, overlapping on sides.

Place potatoes, onions, tomatoes and bay leaves in pan. Nestle lamb shanks in between vegetables.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, dried oregano, mustard powder, salt and pepper until creamy. Pour all over lamb and vegetables. Add fresh oregano.

Fold parchment on sides over lamb and cover with another piece of parchment. Tuck top parchment down sides, ensuring it is covered tightly to seal in moisture. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in oven until lamb and potatoes are fork-tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

Raise oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) and remove foil and top parchment. Bake until lamb is golden, 7 to 8 minutes.

Serve lamb and vegetables straight from pan accompanied by pesto yogurt.   Serves 6

Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

Red Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

Here’s the perfect centerpiece for your dinner. For next-level flavor, try using Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon in the sauce and topping the meat with fresh, citrusy gremolata made with orange zest instead of the more traditional lemon. Served alongside mashed potatoes or polenta and paired with the Cabernet, this dish will have your family heading back for seconds.  

Ingredients:
8 large Lamb Shanks (about 6 1/2 to 7 lbs.)
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped onion
1½ cups chopped carrots
½ cup thinly sliced celery
8 large garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup unsalted beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (5- to 6-in.) rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
¾ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 medium garlic clove, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F

Season lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of the lamb shanks; cook until browned all over, turning every few minutes, about 8 minutes total. Place browned lamb on a plate. Put remaining lamb into pan and repeat process. Set lamb aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic; sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon to pan, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits. Boil for 5 minutes. Add beef stock, tomato paste, rosemary, bay leaves, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nestle lamb shanks in the pan, overlapping as needed. Cover, place in the oven, and braise at 350°F until lamb is very tender, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Discard rosemary sprigs and bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine parsley, orange zest, the minced garlic clove, and salt and pepper to taste; toss well to thoroughly combine. Sprinkle over lamb before serving.

Persian Spiced Lamb Shanks

Persian Spiced Lamb Shanks

Ingredients:
4 meaty lamb shanks (ask for the hind shanks),  

    about 4 1/2 to 5 lbs.
Salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground dried rosebuds, optional
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
Vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron
Juice of 2 limes, about 4 tablespoons
3 teaspoons rosewater, available from Middle Eastern 

    grocery stores
1 large onion, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon ground dried lime, or the zest of 1 fresh 

    lime
Zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tablespoon more for garnish
A few thyme sprigs
2 fresh bay leaves
6 cups hot chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley, for garnish
2 tablespoons roughly chopped mint or dill, for garnish

Directions: 

Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt. 

Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosebuds (if using), black pepper and turmeric. Sprinkle evenly over shanks and rub into meat. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour, or wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature. 

Place a Dutch oven or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. When oil is hot, add 2 lamb shanks and fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside, then brown the 2 remaining shanks. 

Meanwhile, put saffron in a small bowl with lime juice, 2 teaspoons rosewater and 1/2 cup warm water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Season onion with salt, then add lime zest, orange zest, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in saffron mixture. Lay in the lamb shanks and add the broth.
Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover pot. 

Transfer pot to oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender when probed and beginning to fall from the bone. Remove lamb shanks to a deep serving dish and keep warm. 

Strain braising juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to obtain all the liquid (discard thyme, bay leaves and onions). Skim fat, then taste and add salt if necessary. Add 1 more teaspoon rosewater, if desired. 

Reheat strained juices and pour over lamb shanks. Combine parsley, mint and reserved orange zest and sprinkle over top.

Use a large spoon to break the tender shank meat into large chunks. Serve in low, wide soup plates, giving each portion a spoonful of the juices. Accompany with steamed Basmati rice, lavash flatbread or a loaf of crusty French bread.

Persian New Year

Persian New Year

The Persian New Year begins the first day of Spring and continues for thirteen days. Each day is celebrated with a different custom. During the celebration a "Khoresh" which is the Farsi word for stew is served. The showstopper of the feast is not the khoresh, but the accompanying rice, chelow. For centuries young Persian brides were judged by their mother-in-laws on the success of their chelow. The crust - the tah dig - is the prized currency and is given to the prized guest.

***

Our daughter Anne invited us to dinner and we were served this menu. The meal was more than just "wonderful". Anne executed the meal to perfection. I will share the recipes Anne used.

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Persian Eggplant And Lamb Stew

Ingredients:

3 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

6 large lamb shanks

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

2 cups organic tomato juice, as needed

4 tablespoons lemon juice

9 small Italian eggplants or 3 standard eggplants

1 teaspoon advich (recipe follows)

***

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

*

Dry meat with paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

*

In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 3 tablespoons of the oil until it caramelizes on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add onions and cook until translucent, then add garlic and cook, stirring a minute or two more. Pour off excess oil. Return lamb to pot and add salt, pepper, turmeric, saffron water, tomato juice, stock and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to its lowest setting and cook, covered for three hours.

*

Meanwhile, peel eggplant and slice lengthwise into three pieces if using Italian eggplant and five if using standard ones. Lay pieces side by side on paper towel. Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let set for thirty minutes. This will remove any bitterness. Rinse eggplant and thoroughly pat each slice dry.

*

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil and saute the eggplant, shaking the pan to toss until the eggplant turns a rich gold. (This takes a bit longer than you might expect, as it will need to be done in batches.) Set aside.

*

Stir advich spice mix into khoresch and season to taste. Then add eggplant, stirring gently to combine. Cover and bake for thirty minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. (You may reduce heat to 200 degrees and continue to bake, uncovered, until your guests are ready, for up to 30 minutes more.

***

Advieh (Persian Spice Mix)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground dried rose petals

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon ground angelica

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 teaspoon dried Persian lime powder

***

Directions:

Thoroughly mix the spices together. Store what you don't use in an airtight container away from direct sunlight. Note: these spices are available from kalustyans.com

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Yogurt and Cucumber Accompaniment

Ingredients:

1 long seedless cucumber, peeled and diced

1/2 cup raisins

3 cups plain yougurt, preferably full fat

2 tablespoons chopped scallions, the white part only

2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

3 tablespoos fresh dill, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper, the petals from a few dried rosebuds for garnish (optional)

***

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, except for the rosebuds. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Garnish just before serving.

***

Chelow (Gold Crusted Basmati)

Ingredients:

4 cups long grain basmati rice

8 cups water

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons plain, full fat yogurt

1 teaspoon ground saffron, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water

1 cup butter, vegetable oil, or ghee

***

Directions:

Rinse rice five times in lukewarm water.

*

Parboil rice in the water and salt for 6 to 10 minutes, just until soft to the bite. Rinse under cold water for a minute or two.

*

In a small bowl, mix yogurt, 3/4 cup of the butter or oil, 1/2 cup water and about 1 cup parboiled rice. Spread mixture over the bottom of a non-stick Dutch oven and pack it down. This will be the golden crust once the rice is cooked.

*

Mound remaining parboiled rice into a pyramid shape in the pot. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-heat to form a golden crust.

*

Dissolve remaining butter in 1 cup hot water and pour over rice pyramid. Do same with saffron water. Place a clean dish towel over the pot and cover firmly with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat for 50 more minutes.

*

Remove pot from heat. Allow it to cool on a damp surface for 5 minutes without uncovering. Then holding a serving platter tightly over the uncovered pot, invert the two together, unmolding the rice onto a platter.

The rice will emerge as a golden crusted cake. If this does not happen, break the crust into pieces and serve it on the side. It will be every bit as good.