Lamb Shanks And Flageolet Beans Recipes

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH FLAGEOLET BEANS

Steps:

• For the Beans:.
• Rinse, pick over and soak the flageolet beans in cold water overnight.
• Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with the bouquet garni, carrot and onion.
• Cover with the 3 quarts of cold water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours or until the beans are thoroughly cooked.
• Bring the 2 quarts of salted water to a boil, add the green beans, and cook about 12 minutes or until crisp-cooked.
• Drain and refresh under cold running water.
• For the Lamb:.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Poke the leg of lamb with the tip of a knife in various spots and insert slivers of garlic into the slits.
• Make a bed of the onion and carrot in the bottom of a roasting pan and place the lamb on the vegetables and the roasting pan in the oven.
• Reduce heat to 350°F and roast for about one hour and twenty minutes for a rare roast (165°F internal Temperature) up to two hours for a well-done roast (175° to 180°F).
• Remove lamb to a platter and add the white wine and water to the roasting pan, mixing well to scrape up all carmelized juices from the bottom of the pan.
• Strain through a fine sieve and season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• To Serve:.
• Reheat the flageolets and season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat the green beans in a skillet with a little butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Carve the lamb, place the slices on a large platter on a bed of the flageolets (or white beans) surrounded by the green beans and douse the meat with some of the sauce.
• Serve additional sauce on the side.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH MINT AND FLAGEOLETS

Steps:

• Wipe the lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with the garlic, rosemary, mint, thyme and two tablespoons olive oil. Season with pepper and marinate overnight. Rinse and pick over the flageolets. Soak overnight in water.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the remaining olive oil. Dredge lamb shanks in flour and brown them on all sides.
• Remove the lamb and add the onions with the garlic from the marinade. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, white wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and scrape up the cooking juices. Add the lamb shanks, which should fit in one layer, and bake in the oven for two hours, covered or until tender. A large cast-iron casserole is good for this.
• Meanwhile, bring the beans to a boil, drain them and add four cups of fresh cold water. Simmer for about an hour or until cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• When the lamb shanks are cooked, remove them from the sauce. Reduce the sauce so that it is thick enough to coat the shanks without being too soupy. Put the beans on the outer edges of a serving dish and put the shanks in the middle. Top them with the sauce and sprinkle with the fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately.