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Braised Lamb Shank with Caramelized Pears and Shallots
Jennifer Buehler
Lauro Kitchen
Portland, OR
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Braise
4 lamb shanks, preferably raised in Oregon, 16 to 20-ounces each
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped or grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons saffron
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup whole almonds
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Caramelized Pears and Shallots
1 ounces (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 small, whole shallots
2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/2″-thick wedges
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Couscous, as accompaniment
Parsley, to garnish
Plain yogurt, served on side
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the lamb by seasoning liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat oil in a heavy, wide sauté pan until it is very hot, but not smoking. Brown lamb shanks, turn them so that each side is dark golden brown and crusty, which takes about 12 minutes total. Remove shanks from pan.
Reduce heat of sauté pan to medium high and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook and stir frequently until the onions begin to caramelize slightly and pick up the color and scrapings leftover from browning the meat, about 5 minutes. Put the shanks in a deep, wide casserole, or a roasting pan. The shanks should fit closely, in a single layer, leaving enough room in the pan to be covered with stock.
Add the sautéed onion, garlic and ginger to the lamb shanks along with the saffron, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, black and cayenne peppers, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and almonds. Cover the shanks with the chicken stock, adding a bit of water if necessary to cover completely. Cover tightly and braise for about 3-1/2 hours, adding the dried cranberries at the last 30 minutes. The lamb should be tender and falling off the bone.
To finish the sauce, melt butter in a sauté pan with oil over medium heat. If the shallots are larger than a small walnut, peel and separate into as many cloves as possible, or trim the root end, without removing it completely. Halve or quarter the larger shallots; the root will hold the layers together. Add shallots to the pan and sauté gently until they begin to soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add pear slices and sugar and continue to sauté until everything is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add some chicken stock or water if the sugar begins to get dark.
Remove the lamb shanks from the braising liquid. Transfer the braising liquid to a separate saucepan (there should be about 6 cups), put the shanks back in the braising pan and keep warm. Add pears and shallots to the braising liquid and reduce. It will already be thick. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, while the sauce is reducing, put the couscous on a larger platter and arrange the lamb shanks on top. Garnish with pear slices and shallots and spoon the reduced sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with plain yogurt on the side.
