Sharing the Secret for Greek-Style Lamb Shanks

“Many of our friends have never cooked lamb shanks, and my husband and I cannot understand why,” Helen J. Gilmore writes. “They are a delicious cut of meat. My American mother used to cook them with different vegetables for my Greek father when we were children. We didn’t like meals with garlic then, but my husband and I love anything cooked with garlic now.”

LAMB SHANKS WITH ONIONS, GREEK STYLE

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 lamb shanks

5 cloves garlic

1 (8-ounce) can tomato puree

1 cup red wine

2 cups water or enough to cover shanks

1 heaping teaspoon mixed pickling spices tied in cheesecloth

2 bay leaves

Salt, pepper

6 small white boiling onions

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Brown lamb shanks and garlic. Dilute tomato puree with wine and water and pour over lamb shanks. Add bag of pickling spices and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 2 1/2 hours. Add more water if sauce thickens too much.

Add onions during last 40 minutes. (Lamb will fall off bone when done.) Remove bay leaves and pickling spice bag. Serve with French bread and green salad. Makes 2 servings.

--HELEN GILMORE

Fullerton

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