Mario Batalis Lamb Shanks With Leeks And Grapes Food

MARIO BATALI'S LAMB SHANKS WITH LEEKS AND GRAPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
• Rinse and dry the lamb shanks, and season them liberally with salt and pepper. In a very large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the lamb shanks, 5 at a time, and sear until dark golden brown all over, 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Remove the shanks and set them aside.
• Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and leeks to the pot and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes. Use only the white and light green parts of the Leaks only, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into thin half-moons, rinsed thoroughly, and drained.
• Add the wine, tomato sauce, and sock to the vegetables and bring to a boil. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and bring back to a boil. Cover the pot tightly, place it in the oven, and bake for about 1.5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender.
• Remove the pot from the oven, check the sauce for seasoning, and then add the grapes. Stir them in gently, and serve directly from the pot.

WINE-BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH HERBES DE PROVENCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy wide pot over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; sauté until leeks soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer leek mixture to small bowl.
• Sprinkle lamb shanks with salt and pepper; dust with flour to coat. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb and cook until brown, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add leek mixture, wine, tomatoes with puree, mushrooms, herbes de Provence, and carrots. Stir to coat lamb with vegetable mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lamb is very tender, turning twice, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until sauce reduces slightly, about 10 minutes longer. Spoon off fat from pan juices. Season lamb to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm, covered, over low heat before serving.)
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Wash leeks very well and slice crosswise, set aside. Leeks are full of grit and dirt so I wash them once they are sliced.
• Slice garlic cloved thinly.
• Trim lamb shanks of all fat and be sure to remove the "silverskin".
• Heat oil med-high in large dutch oven ( larger cuts can be done in a roaster pan and finished in the oven).
• When oil is hot but not smoking, brown meat very well on all sides, set aside.
• Turn pan down to med-low and add garlic and leeks, saute 10 minutes.
• Return shanks to pan, season with s+p and srinkle rosemary over all.
• Add wine and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and cover for 2 1/2 hours, turning once to season second side.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH LEEKS AND HARICOT BEANS

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight in cold water. The next day, drain them, put them into a deep saucepan, and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, skim off the froth, add a bay leaf, and a drop or two of olive oil and simmer for about forty minutes. Turn off the heat and leave them in the water.
• Warm a glug of olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot. Season the lamb shanks all over with salt and black pepper, then lower them into the pot. They should sizzle when they hit the oil. Turn the meat from time to time until it has colored nicely on all sides (we are talking pale honey color rather than deep brown). Remove the meat from the pot and set aside on a plate to catch any escaping juices.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Cut the leeks into chunks roughly the length of a wine cork, wash them thoroughly, making sure no grit or sand is trapped in their many layers, then put them in the casserole together with the butter, keeping the heat low. Cover with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper, then cover with a lid (the paper will encourage them to cook in their own steam rather than brown). Cook them on the stove until they have started to soften, a good twenty minutes or so. You will need to give them an occasional stir.
• Remove and discard the paper. Peel and thinly slice the garlic and add it to the pot with the thyme and the remaining bay leaves. Sprinkle the flour over the top and continue cooking for three or four minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock or water, then drain the beans and add them too. Season with salt and pepper.
• Return the shanks and any collected juices to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven for an hour and a half, or until the lamb is completely tender. Sometimes it takes two hours. You should be able to remove it from the bone with little effort (then again, it shouldn't actually be falling apart). Remove from the oven, stir in most of the lemon juice and zest, parsley, and mint, then scatter the rest.

KLEFTIKO-STYLE LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Put the lamb shanks in a large bowl with the garlic, rosemary, thyme, dried oregano, cinnamon, bay leaves, lemon juice (drop in the juiced halves as well), and olive oil. Season well, then toss everything together. If you have time, chill overnight.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Tip the potatoes and peppers into a large roasting tin, then pour over the wine. Remove the lamb from the marinade and set aside, then pour the leftover marinade over the veg. Toss to combine, then arrange the lamb on top of the veg. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 2 hrs 30 mins. Remove the lamb from the tin, turn all the veg over, then turn the lamb over and return to the tin on top of the veg. Drizzle over a little more oil, if the tin seems dry. Bake for 30 mins more, uncovered, until the lamb is falling off the bone and the potatoes are golden around the edges. Leave to rest for 5 mins, then scatter over the feta and fresh oregano, if using.