Braised Lamb Shanks With Prunes Recipes

LAMB SHANKS IN HONEYED PRUNE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large dish combine 2 tbs olive oil,onion,garlic,spices,lemon juice and zest.
• Add lamb shanks.Coat with marinade and cover.Leave 2-3 hours in fridge(longer if time permits)stirring occasionally and turning the lamb.
• Heat 1 tbs olive oil in large frying pan.Lift lamb shanks out of marinade and into frying pan.Brown lamb well on all sides.
• Remove lamb from pan and place in a large casserole dish.
• Add marinade ingredients to pan with 100mls/4 fluid ozs water and heat gently for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from heat.Add honey and prunes. Stir gently to incorporate,without breaking up the prunes.
• Pour this heated mixture over the lamb shanks.Cover with lid or foil.
• Cook in preheated oven 160 deg C,325 deg F,gas mark 3 for 2 1/2 hours.
• If you prefer a thicker sauce,blend cornflour with a little cold water in a cup.Remove casserole from oven after two hours,stir a little of the sauce into the cornflour and water,mix well then stir back into the sauce in the casserole. Return casserole to oven for remaining half hour.
• Serve garnished with toasted almonds and/or chopped coriander.

BRAISED LAMB WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a casserole dish add onion and saute until lightly browned.
• dust the lamb with the flour, salt and pepper and add to the onions. cook until meat is browned.
• add stock and simmer until until sauce has slightly thickened, about 20-30 minutes.
• add the sugar, vinegar, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and prunes.
• bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 mins more until meat is very tender.
• serve hot sprinkled with parsley with either rice or boiled potatoes.

LAMB SHANKS IN RED WINE WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Place prunes in a bowl, add wine and set aside. Heat oil in a 6-quart casserole or sauté pan. Add lamb and brown on all sides over medium heat. Remove. Stir in onion and garlic. Sauté on low until soft. Stir in bell pepper, cumin and paprika. Sauté a few minutes. Return lamb to pan, season with salt and pepper. Add thyme, prunes and wine. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
• Turn shanks in pan and baste. Add zest and cayenne. Cover and cook on low about 45 minutes more, until lamb is tender when pierced with a fork. Check seasoning. Serve with couscous.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large Dutch oven generously with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the shanks generously with salt and add them to the pan. Brown well on all sides. This is an incredibly important step; do not rush it.
• Meanwhile, puree the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a food processor until it becomes a coarse paste. Remove and set aside.
• Remove the shanks from the pan to a sheet tray. Discard the excess fat from the pan. Add a little more oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the pureed veggies. Season with salt, to taste. Saute the veggies until they are very brown and aromatic, about 20 minutes. The brown veggies should form a sort of crust on the bottom of the pan, do not let this burn; it is where a lot of the flavor is! Don't rush this step either, since this is where you will develop the brown color and flavor.
• Add the tomato paste and brown for 5 minutes. Stir in the wine, chopped rosemary and thyme bundle. Stir frequently and cook until the wine has reduced by about half.
• Add the shanks back to the pot and pour in 3 to 4 cups of water. The shanks should be submersed, if they are not, add more water. Add the bay leaves to the pan, cover and put in the preheated oven. The cooking time will be about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the shanks over about halfway through the cooking time. Check the shanks every 45 minutes or so. If the liquid has reduced too much add more water. Defat as you go.
• Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time for maximum browning. When the shanks are done the meat should be incredibly tender and flavorful. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with Gremolata. Serve with Hard Polenta Cakes, if desired,
• Call yourself a superstar!!!
• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.