Sunday Dinner- Braised Lamb shanks
Braised Lamb Shanks with Blue Cheese Mash Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
I’ve been wanting to do another Sunday Dinner post since the last one I wrote in July, but, as I’ve probably mentioned one too many times, the second half of this year has turned out kind of nutty. So, before my Christmas dinner, I made it a priority to do a real Sunday dinner menu.
In all honesty, this is one of the best meals I’ve had in recent memory – fall-off-the-bone tender lamb in a tangy sauce and rich and blue cheese fluffy mash potatoes make a really excellent pairing, perfect for a rainy, lazy, chilly, Sunday afternoon. My kids even eat it. Promise.
Braised Lamb Shanks with Gremolata
Recipe adapted slightly from Bon Appetit.
Serves 4.
4 lamb shanks (about 3 lbs.), trimmed
1 TBS kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp coarsely ground fennel seeds
4 garlic cloves, 1 grated, 3 minced
2 TBS olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 TBS flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1/4 c. dry white wine
2-3 c. chicken broth
For the gremolata:
3/4 c. flat leaf parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
Place the lamb shanks on a rimmed baking sheet. Stir salt, black pepper, minced rosemary, ground fennel seeds, and grated garlic together in a small bowl, then massage into lamb. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat, add onions and saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic, flour, paprika, and red pepper flakes and stir vigorously to distribute flour. Cook until mixture becomes dry, about 1 minute, then add tomatoes and wine. Simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to thicken and tomatoes are breaking down, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the chicken broth and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lamb shanks to pot in a single layer, pushing them down into the sauce. If necessary, add additional chicken broth so that the shanks are about 3/4 submerged
Roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes, then use tongs to flip the shanks over and roast for another 30 minutes. Then, cover the pot and cook, turning the shanks occasionally, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 45-90 minutes. Remove from oven and skim fat off the surface. Let shanks rest in liquid for 20 minutes before serving.
Stir the gremolata ingredients together and let sit for 30 minutes. Serve on top of the lamb shanks.
Creamy Mash Potatoes with Blue Cheese
5-6 Potatoes, peeled, cut and boiled
1-2 c. milk- I like to microwave mine so that it's really warm when you pour it in the mixture
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
You know how to make mash potatoes. The key is the microwaved milk and adding the blue cheese. Put in kitchenaid, mix with the potatoes that are already drained and blend to the consistency you like.
Brussel Sprouts:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts 3 tablespoons good olive oil 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Directions Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt.
Enjoy. I will say the key step is to make sure the lamb falls off the bone. Make sure you cover it after an hour so it falls off the bone but isn't dry. The other key is the mash potatoes and warming up the milk. Try it. You will more than like it.
-Erin