Lamb shanks are our favorite way of eating lamb. This recipe has evolved from us cooking lamb shanks for many years. It uses red wine (Burgundy) and garlic, rosemary and thyme to provide the flavor kick that makes the dish so interesting. We have combined it with garlic mashed potatoes made the easy way, right in the cooking pot with an immersion blender, a tool that has become an integral part of our cooking. This is real comfort food, a delicious blending of flavors in a rich brown gravy poured over the lamb shanks and mashed potatoes.To die for……
Ingredients
2 lamb shanks (1-1 ½ # each; 1 ½ # size provides a man-sized portion)
1 medium-large yellow onion, skinned and quartered
1 bunch baby carrots, trimmed and scrubbed
1 14.5 oz can whole, skinned tomatoes
6 cloves of garlic, skinned and smashed
650 ml of cooking grade burgundy(3/4 bottle)
10 oz low salt chicken broth
10 oz low salt beef broth (Some additional may be required to get liquid to cover 75% of the shanks.)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 bundle fresh 4” thyme stalks, tied together
1 bundle fresh 4” rosemary stalks, tied together
2 fresh 4” Rosemary stalks for garnish
2 t corn starch, mixed in a little hot water
Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
1 # Yukon Gold or French redskin potatoes
3 T granulated garlic
1 T unsalted butter
½ C no fat or low fat half and half
Preparation
1. Select a Dutch oven just large enough to hold the lamb shanks, veggies and liquids. Pour the olive oil in and over high heat, brown both sides of the shanks. (About 10 minutes.) Then reserve the shanks.
2. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, carrots, garlic, thyme and rosemary. Saute over medium heat until everything has started to brown. (About 10 minutes.)
3. Remove the carrots and reserve. Then add the liquids, tomatoes and lamb shanks and bring to a boil. (The shanks should be at least 75% covered.) Then reduce the heat to a low-medium simmer and cook for two hours or until the shanks are fork tender, turning the shanks every 30 minutes. Add the carrots back to the pot for the last 30 minutes.
4. Remove the shanks and carrots and any tomatoes remaining whole and place in a 200*F warming oven with the plates. Remove the thyme and Rosemary bundles, add the cornstarch and water and using an immersion blender, blend the garlic and onions until the mixture is smooth. Leaving the cover off, simmer for another thirty minutes or until the sauce is thickened to gravy.
Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
5. Skin the potatoes and boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
6. Pour off the water. Turn off the heat and add the butter, garlic and half and half.
7. Using the immersion blender(after washing the immersion part), blend the mashed potatoes to the consistency you want.
PLATING:
8. Place one shank on each warmed plate.
9. Put a scoop of mashed potatoes next to the shank.
10. Place the carrots and tomatoes artistically on the plate.
11. Pour the gravy over the shank and potatoes and garnish with an uncooked sprig of Rosemary.
Credit: Foodista