Braised Lamb Shanks with Dried Fruit Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: For marinade: 2 cups dry white wine 5 tablespoons olive oil 4 shallots, chopped fine 4 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine 1 leek (white and pale green part only), halved lengthwise, washed well, and chopped fine a bouquet garni composed of 1 bay leaf, 1 fresh thyme sprig, and 1/4 bunch fresh parsley sprigs tied together in a cheesecloth bag 1 tablespoon cumin seed 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
6 lamb shanks (about 6 pounds total) 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped 2 cups water 4 tart apples such Jonathan 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 6 dried figs, chopped 6 dried pitted dates, chopped 6 dried apricots, chopped 2 tablespoons raisins 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves, washed well, spun dry, and shredded fine
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Directions: |
Directions:In a 9- to 10-quart heavy ovenproof kettle whisk together marinade ingredients.
Add shanks to marinade and toss to coat. Marinate shanks, covered and chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 325?F.
Transfer shanks with tongs to a plate. Pat shanks dry and season with salt and pepper. Pour marinade through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve vegetables, liquid, and bouquet garni separately. In kettle heat 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and brown shanks on all sides in batches, transferring to a plate. Add reserved vegetables to fat remaining in kettle and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add vegetables to shanks.
Add flour to kettle and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, 3 minutes, or until golden. Whisk in reserved marinade liquid and add reserved bouquet garni, shank mixture, and tomatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Add water and braise mixture, covered, in middle of oven 2 hours, or until lamb is tender.
While shanks are braising, peel and core apples and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. In a large heavy skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook apples, stirring, 2 minutes. Add orange juice and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Keep apple mixture warm.
Arrange shanks around edge of a large platter and spoon apple mixture into center of platter. Keep shanks and apple mixture warm.
Bring braising liquid to a boil, skimming any fat that rises to surface, and discard bouquet garni. Add dried fruits and mint and simmer sauce 20-30 minutes, or until fruits are softened. A short cut to this step is to add all the dried fruit into a pan and cover with water and simmer the fruits until very soft and tender (that's how i like my dries fruit, not chewy). You can then add the fruit to the sauce and simmer for a few minutes to reduce and infuse in the flavors into the fruit. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over shanks. Serve any remaining sauce separately. |
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Number Of
Servings: |
Number Of
Servings:6-8 |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:8-12 hours |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Okay folks, this is a complicated recipe and quite frankly kind of a pain in the butt to make but the end results is spectacular. If you are a lover of lamb is I am the hard work is well worth it. Lamb and fruit are a match made in heaven. I highly recommend using the shortcut to put in the recipe and rehydrate your dried fruit separately and then add to the sauce. If you don’t your dried fruit might be a little chewy. I definitely prefer fully reconstituted dried fruit that has a soft texture. As I said, it’s a lot of work but the end results is well worth it. Enjoy!
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