Superior Farms Recipes: Lamb Shanks with Garlic, Tomato and Mint
This hearty dish serves a crowd so invite your family and friends over for a deeply satisfying meal. The recipe has a few elements so you can start the day before; it’s worth the time, we promise.
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 3 hrs 30 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Ingredients
LAMB:
6 American Lamb shanks
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
½ bottle (2 cups) dry white wine
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp dried thyme leaves
3 quarts brown stock (recipe follows)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups mint puree (recipe follows)
4 tbsp chopped garlic
½ cup chopped, peeled, and seeded tomato plus 3 medium tomatoes, cut in half
6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
BROWN STOCK (YIELD: 3 QUARTS):
15 lbs roasted lamb, pork, duck and veal bones
6 onions
6 carrots
3 celery stalks
1 bunch parsley stems
2 tbsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
MINT PUREE:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
¼ lb fresh mint, leaves only
Directions
1. Dust the lamb shanks in the flour. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet on high heat and brown the shanks on all sides (about 2 minutes per side). When browned, remove the shanks to a plate.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the carrots, onions and celery to the pan. Sauté until brown and add the white wine. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme, brown stock, and shanks. Turn the heat to low, cover the skillet, and braise for 3 hours or until tender. Remove the shanks from the pan and keep warm.
3. Strain the sauce into another saucepan and turn the heat to high. Reduce the sauce by one-third (this will take about 10 minutes). Add the vinegar, mint puree, garlic, and tomato and simmer, stirring, until heated, about 5 minutes. Season to taste.
4. Place the tomato halves in a baking pan and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese; broil until brown, about 3 minutes (be careful they do not burn).
5. To serve, place one shank on each plate, pour the reduced sauce over each, and serve with a tomato half.
BROWN STOCK
1. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Add water to cover. Turn the heat to high until stock boils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 12 to 15 hours.
2. Strain the stock through a colander and transfer it into another large pot. With the heat on high, reduce the stock. Let the stock cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
MINT PUREE
1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Quickly blanch the mint leaves in the liquid (for about 30 seconds).
2. Let the liquid cool slightly and then puree it in a blender until smooth.
Recipe and image provided by the American Lamb Board.