Lamb Shanks With Mushroom Bolognese Food

MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with the boiling water; let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and save the liquid. Rinse the porcini and chop them.
• Meanwhile, working in batches if needed, combine the cremini mushrooms, button mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.
• Heat enough oil to generously cover the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, thyme, rosemary, oregano, tomato paste and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Add the wine, soy sauce and the porcinis and their soaking water to the pot. Cook until the wine evaporates, then add the diced tomatoes. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is deep red in color, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Keep the pasta warm if the sauce is still cooking.
• Add the pasta and pasta water to the pot with the sauce and toss to combine. Divide among plates or bowls and sprinkle with nutritional yeast if using and basil. Serve and enjoy!

LAMB SHANKS WITH MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep, ovenproof pot over medium heat until hot.
• Season the shanks with salt and pepper and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Remove to a plate.
• Raise the heat to medium-high, add the mushrooms, and do not move them until they begin to brown, about 1 minute.
• Season with salt and pepper and sauté until brown all over, about 5 minutes.
• Remove to another plate and reserve for final assembly.
• Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, and heat until hot.
• Add the garlic and sauté briefly until light brown.
• Add the onion, carrot, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until light brown, about 8 minutes.
• Add the wine and bay leaf, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced by half.
• Add the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil again.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Return the meat to the pot, cover, and place in the oven to braise until fork tender.
• Test at 2 hours, but the shanks may take as long as 4 hours.
• Let the meat cool in the liquid to room temperature.
• Remove from the braising liquid and reserve separately.
• Skim off and discard the fat from the braising liquids.
• (The recipe may be made to this point a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. See Chef's Note.) Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Add salt and the pasta and cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.
• Drain.
• Meanwhile, pour the defatted braising liquids into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, skimming the surface all the while.
• Add the basil and oregano.
• Return the shanks to the sauce and simmer gently just until heated through, then remove and keep warm.
• Add the mushrooms and pasta to the sauce and heat gently until warm through.
• Pour onto a large, deep platter or divide among plates and top with the shanks.
• Serve immediately.
• Variation: If you wish to serve the meat off the bone (which turns this into a pasta dish rather than meat on a bed of pasta), tear the meat into big chunks and return it to the sauce with the mushrooms.
• Cook just until reheated.
• Add the pasta, stir, and heat through.
• Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.
• Chef's Note: It is acceptable and even preferable to do this dish a day ahead.
• It is much easier to defat the braising liquid after it has been refrigerated.
• The meat can even cook while you sleep.
• For example, from midnight to 6:00 a.
• m.
• at 250°F.
• You can also cook the whole dish in a covered pot on the stove-top.
• There is a caramelization of flavors in oven braising that stove-top cooking does not replicate.
• If the shanks are cracked — cut through the bone in the middle — they will cook through to tenderness more rapidly, closer to 2 hours than 4 hours.

MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 1 cup of very warm water and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain through a cheesecloth or a coffee filter and keep the liquid. Do not use a metal mesh strainer for this step - it is not fine enough. Chop the mushrooms.
• Saute the onion, carrot and celery in a large pot in the olive oil with a big pinch of kosher or sea salt and a few grindings of pepper. Let the vegetables cook for about 8 minutes, on low heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Increase heat and add the wine. Cook for 5 minutes, making sure the wine is simmering. Add the mushrooms.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, including the reserved porcini mushroom liquid. Simmer, uncovered, for about an hour to an hour and a half, until the sauce has reduced down and a lot of the liquid has cooked off - cook until you like the thickness of the sauce. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning.
• This recipe will be more than enough to coat a pound of pasta. If you don't use all the sauce, it's great the next day or you can freeze it.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH MUSHROOMS AND PASTA

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees.
• In a large Dutch oven or oven-proof pot heat oil over high heat.
• Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper then brown on both sides (about 6-7 minutes per side) transfer to a platter or plate.
• Add in onions, garlic, mushrooms, thyme, majoram and crushed red pepper; saute for about 7-8 minutes or until veggies are tender.
• Return the lamb back to the pot.
• Add in wine and bring to a boil; simmer for about 6-8 minutes.
• Add in broth, Worcestershire sauce and crushed tomatoes; bring back to a boil.
• Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to cook for about 2-1/2 - 3 hours, or until the lamb is very tender.
• Season with salt and pepper about the last 30 minutes or cooking.
• Meanwhile cook the pasta in boiling salted water until JUST firm-tender; drain and place the pasta in a large bowl.
• Spoon the sauce over the cooked pasta, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, then place the shanks on top.
• Serve and pass more Parmesan cheese separatel at the table.

MUSHROOM BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the mushrooms until they appear coarsely ground. (This can also be done by hand.) Set aside.
• Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms begin to brown and dry out, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and toast it until it looks rusty, a few minutes. Add the milk, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and all the liquid is reduced, at least 20 minutes.
• Before serving, stir in some basil and freshly grated Parmesan. To serve, grate more Parmesan over top.