Susan's Recipes

Lamb Shanks

This is a hearty main course lamb dish for two. It may be served with new potatoes, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. A merlot wine would be nice.

Ingredients

  • 2 lamb shanks, one pound each, trimmed
  • salt, pepper, and flour
  • 0.5 c olive oil
  • 1 T sweet butter
  • 2 T minced onion
  • 1 shallot minced
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 t rosemary crumbled
  • 1 t thyme crumbled
  • 0.5 c dry white wine
  • 0.5 c dry red wine
  • 1.5 c stock (beef, lamb or chicken)
  • 8 large mushrooms, quartered
  • 8 pearl onion, peeled
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 2 pieces
  • 1 large turnip, quartered
  • 1 t basil crumbled
  • 2 T cognac or brandy

Preparation

  1. If the lamb has a membrane, cut it away.
  2. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Turn the lamb in flour. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. Brown the lamb on all sides.
  3. Melt butter in large Dutch oven. Add minced onion, shallot, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add lamb and wines. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Turn lamb. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.
  4. Heat oven to 350 F.
  5. Add stock, mushrooms, pearl onions, carrot, turnip and basil to lamb.
  6. Cover, place into oven and bake until the lamb is tender, turning the lamb once. When the lamb is done, remove excess fat. It’s best to let this dish rest over night in the refrigerator and then remove the solid fat.
  7. Reheat the lamb. Add cognac and stir over low heat until the cognac is mixed in. Taste for seasoning.
  8. Remove lamb and vegetables. Keep warm. Boil pan juices to thicken if desired. Serve juices spooned over lamb and vegetables.