Pomegranate Merlot Braised Lamb Shanks Food

CHEF JOHN'S BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously season lamb shanks with salt and black pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place lamb shanks in the Dutch oven, cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer shanks to a plate. Drain off remaining oil and fat so only 1 tablespoon remains in the Dutch oven.
• Stir onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt into the Dutch oven; decrease heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, chipotle chile powder, ancho chile powder, and ground cinnamon; stir to combine.
• Pour 1 cup chicken broth over onion mixture. Increase heat to high; when liquid boils, place lamb shanks in Dutch oven. Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 90 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven and stir in jalapeno pepper, red bell pepper and 1/2 cup chicken stock; bring to a boil on the stovetop. Return pan to the oven and cook, uncovered, until lamb shanks are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to plate.
• Place Dutch oven on the stovetop over high heat; bring liquid to a boil and cook, skimming off any foam, until liquid is reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over lamb shanks and serve.

LAMB SHANKS WITH MERLOT AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Trim off any excess fat from the lamb shanks.
• Sprinkle the shanks with the salt and pepper.
• Spread the flour on a plate and turn the shanks in the flour, shaking off any excess.
• In a large, heavy ovenproof pot over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• Add the shanks (in batches, if necessary) and brown well on all sides, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the shanks to a plate.
• Wipe out the pot.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 3-4 minutes.
• Return the shanks to the pot along with the potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, wine, and stock.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven.
• Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue to bake until the Iamb is very tender, about 30 minutes longer.
• Transfer the shanks to a platter.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and carrots to the platter.
• Cover and keep warm.
• Using a large spoon, skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce remaining in the pot.
• Lift out and discard the bay leaves and the thyme.
• Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
• Cook the sauce until it reduces and is lightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
• Pour the sauce around the meat.
• Sprinkle the meat and vegetables with the parsley and mint.

LAMB BRAISED IN POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Generously season lamb chops with salt and black pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Place lamb chops in Dutch oven and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate and reduce heat to medium.
• Stir onion and a pinch of salt into the Dutch oven; cook until onions are slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Pour pomegranate juice into the Dutch oven and scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Pour in balsamic vinegar, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
• Stir rosemary, mint leaves, and red pepper flakes into pomegranate juice mixture. Continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return lamb and any accumulated juices to Dutch oven, spoon pomegranate mixture over lamb, and cover.
• Cook in the preheated oven until meat is fork tender, about 2 hours. Transfer lamb to a plate and set Dutch oven on the stovetop over high heat. Bring pomegranate mixture to a boil; cook, skimming any fat that accumulates, until liquid is reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in honey and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Return lamb to the Dutch oven; stir to combine. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, sliced mint leaves, and pumpkin seeds.

BRAISED LAMB IN POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Heat oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add all lamb bones and cook until brown, turning often, about 15 minutes. Transfer bones to plate. Season lamb with salt and pepper and dredge thoroughly in flour. Add to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer lamb to plate with bones.
• Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until onions are just golden, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Return lamb to pot. Arrange bones around lamb. Stir in stock and next 7 ingredients. Bring liquid to boil. Baste top of lamb. Cover; bake until lamb is tender when pierced with long sharp knife, turning once, about 2 hours 15 minutes. Cool; cover and chill overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove fat from surface of lamb and cooking liquid. Transfer lamb to platter. Remove string from lamb. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange in shallow baking dish.
• Bring pan juices to boil. Remove bones and discard. Strain pan juices, pressing hard on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Melt margarine in same pot over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and stir until mixture begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Whisk in pan juices and boil until sauce is reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over lamb. Cover with foil and bake until lamb is heated through, about 25 minutes. Arrange lamb on platter. Spoon sauce over. Garnish with parsley.

POMEGRANATE-MERLOT BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Season lamb with Salt and pepper. In large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs oil. Working in 2 batches, brown lamb on all sides, 7-8 minutes per batch. Transfer to slow cooker.
• Warm 1 Tbs oil in pan. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7-8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Add wine and pomegranate juice; simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add honey, broth, salt, and pepper. Pour into slow cooker.
• Cover; cook on high for 3 hours. Add carrots; cook until lamb is tender, about 1 hour more. Transfer lamb and carrots to large platter. Pour sauce into saucepan; skill off excess fat.
• Set sauce over high heat; boil until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Pour sauce over lamb. Sprinkle with parsley and pomegranate seeds. Serve with couscous.