Fragrance of the Lamb

These cool winter weekends, I warm the kitchen--and my spirits--with a delicious, long-cooking dish. I don’t have the energy to prepare a complicated recipe, but I crave something fragrant and hearty.

My Sunday ritual used to be to prepare beef carbonnade , a Belgian stew of meat cooked in a sweet-sour beer-and-onion mixture. The dish was better suited to a crowd than for one or two. Fortunately, the tempting aroma would waft through my apartment building, and I would have no trouble putting together an impromptu dinner party.

Now, when I want to cook for my husband and myself, I can still make a version of this great stew; I’ve adapted the carbonnade flavors into a marvelous dish for two. Instead of beef I use a lamb shank; one good-sized shank will serve two. It’s simmered with onions, beer, brown sugar, vinegar and herbs, all of which cook into a thick, rich gravy.

To give this lamb stew more of a Middle Eastern flavor, I serve it with Minted Couscous.

The sauce should have a slight sweet-sour taste when the dish is done. If it is too sweet, add about 1 teaspoon vinegar and simmer 10 minutes. If it is too bitter, add about 1 teaspoon more brown sugar and simmer 10 minutes.

LAMB SHANK CARBONNADE 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 1 (about 1 1/2-pound) lamb shank 2 tablespoons flour 1 large clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme 1 1/4 cups beef broth 3/4 cup full-bodied, slightly sweet beer, preferably German Salt Freshly ground pepper Minted Couscous

Heat olive oil in large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add and saute onion until tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Push onion slices to side. Dust lamb shank with flour (reserve any remaining flour) and brown on all sides in skillet. Remove lamb. Add garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, bay leaf and thyme to skillet. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add any remaining flour.

Gradually add broth and beer to mixture and bring to boil. Scrape up any browned bits. Reduce heat to low and return lamb to skillet. Cover and cook over low heat until meat is tender, about 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.

Spoon Minted Couscous into serving dish. Top with lamb and skillet juices. Carve lamb at table. Serve hot. Makes 2 servings.

Note : Ask butcher to split lamb shank for easier cooking. If desired, buy 2 small lamb shanks (it isn’t necessary to increase amount of liquid).

MINTED COUSCOUS 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 medium clove garlic, minced 1 cup chicken broth 3/4 cup couscous 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves Salt Freshly ground white pepper

Heat olive oil in small saucepan. Add garlic and saute 1 minute over medium heat. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Stir in couscous and cover pan. Turn off heat and set couscous aside until broth is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add mint. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Fluff up couscous with fork. Makes 2 servings.

Note : If desired, use rice instead of couscous. Follow cooking directions on package and add mint just before serving.