Lamb Shanks Mediterranean Recipes

EASY BRAISED LAMB SHANKS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add all the spice mix ingredients and mix to combine.
• Pat the lamb shanks dry and season with the spice mix on all sides.
• In a large Dutch oven pot like this one, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks on all sides (about 8 mins or so). Transfer the lamb shanks to a large tray or bowl for now. Carefully dispose of extra fat in a separate heat-safe bowl, and return the pot to heat.
• Now add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium-high, or until the vegetables gain some color. Add red wine, scrape the pot of brown bits. Cook briefly so that the wine reduces a bit.
• Add the broth, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper. Return lamb shanks back to the pot; press down to submerge. Boil for 10 minutes. Turn heat off.
• Cover the pot and transfer to the 350 degrees F-heated oven. Cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours (It's a good idea to check periodically through cooking just in case you need to add a little more liquid. When the shanks finish cooking, the liquid will have reduced to about 1/3 of what it was when you started.)
• While the lamb shanks are cooking, prepare rice according to this recipe, or prepare 2-3 cups of orzo pasta according to package instructions.
• Serve the lamb shanks hot with a little of the veggies and braising sauce on top of rice or orzo pasta. You might also like to prepare a side salad like this 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad or Fattoush. Enjoy!

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a sauté pan over high. Brown shanks, two at a time, on both sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to a 6- to 8-qt. slow cooker.
• Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper to same pan; cook until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker.
• Stir flour and tomato paste into pan; cook 1-2 minutes.
• Deglaze pan with stock, scraping up any browned bits. Add wine and bring to a boil. Stir in tomatoes and transfer to slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook shanks until fork-tender on high setting, about 5 hours. Remove shanks and let rest 15-20 minutes.
• Strain braising liquid through a sieve; press vegetables into sieve and discard. Skim any fat from liquid and discard. Transfer liquid to sauté pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Add vinegar to liquid and reduce slightly. Stir in 2 tsp. thyme and season with salt and pepper. Serve sauce over shanks.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Season shanks with salt. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper and turmeric. Sprinkle mixture over shanks and rub in. Wrap shanks in plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1/2 inch of oil and heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add lamb shanks and cook, turning frequently, 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining shanks.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine saffron, lime juice and 1/2 cup warm water. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Discard all but 2 tbsp oil from the Dutch oven. Over medium heat add onion and cook, stirring often, 7 to 9 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Season onion with salt. Stir in zest of 1 lime, orange zest, thyme. bay leaves and saffron mixture. Arrange shanks in the Dutch oven and pour in broth. Heating until boiling.
• Cover pot and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160° when inserted into the thickest part of the shank for medium and meat is beginning to fall off the bone.
• Transfer shanks to a large shallow dish and cover with foil. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Discard onions, thyme and bay leaves. Skim fat from liquids. Season to taste with salt. Cook juices over medium heat until warmed through.
• Meanwhile, remove lamb from bones and break into large chunks. Discard bones. Transfer lamb to individual wide serving bowls. Ladle juices into bowls. Serve garnished with parsley and dill.

LAMB SHANKS MEDITERRANEAN

Steps:

• Chop the onions, zucchini, carrots, and garlic.
• In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Cook the lamb shanks, 2 at a time, turning until browned on all sides. Remove shanks to a plate.
• Drain off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from the pan. Add the onions and cook about 8 minutes until golden. Stir in zucchini and carrots and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, basil, oregano, mint, tomato sauce, and wine. Heat to boiling. Add lamb shanks and press them into the sauce.
• Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 3-3 1/2 hours, until lamb is very tender and falls away from the bone.
• Stir in lemon juice, olives, and pepper. Serve over orzo or rice.

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the shanks and sear over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
• Add the onion, garlic, celery root, carrots, olives and ginger. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove vegetables from pot and set aside.
• Add the wine, increase the heat to high and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except coriander leaves and parsley leaves. Stir to combine. Return the shanks and vegetables to the saucepan. Cover partly and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the meat begins to fall off the bone, about 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, combine the coriander and the parsley in a bowl. Set aside. Remove the bay leaf from the saucepan and discard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the shanks among 4 plates. Ladle the sauce over each shank. Garnish with the coriander-parsley mixture and serve immediately. Serve with white bean puree (recipe below).

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Pat Lamb Shanks dry, and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add lamb. Cook for 6 minutes, turning, until browned all over. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onion and celery to pressure cooker. Cook, stirring for 4 minutes or until starting to brown. Add garlic, rosemary and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add wine. Cook for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Add crushed tomato. Bring to a simmer.
• Return lamb to pressure cooker. Secure lid. Bring cooker to high pressure. Reduce heat to stabilise pressure. Cook for 60 minutes. Release pressure according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove lid. Stir in olives.

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB SHANKS WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large ovenproof pot over high heat. Add lamb; brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Using tongs, transfer lamb to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté until vegetables brown and begin to soften, scraping up browned bits, about 10 minutes. Return lamb to pot, pushing gently into vegetables. Add tomatoes, broth, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and peppercorns. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover pot; transfer to oven. Roast until meat is tender and pulls easily from bone, turning occasionally, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring 8 cups water and salt to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until thickened and tender, stirring frequently, about 22 minutes. Whisk in butter and minced thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove lamb and herbs from pot; discard herbs. Place pot over medium-high heat and boil until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Divide polenta among 6 large bowls; top each with 1 lamb shank. Pour sauce over; serve.