Shanks for the Slow Oven
One of my favorite dinner menus draws inspiration from the farmers’ market and relies on slow oven cooking to help develop complex flavors. Once the dishes are in the oven, there’s little effort involved on the part of the cook.
What’s more, these dishes develop their best flavors when allowed to rest one to three days in the refrigerator before reheating and serving. That means you can put them together with little effort on a day off from work and have them ready to go with even less effort during the week.
Braised lamb shanks with shallots and mushrooms in Port wine sauce become remarkably mild-flavored, and the gratin of eggplant, potato, onion and tomatoes maintains a fresh and vibrant quality. They are an ideal pair on the table. Serve a favorite Merlot wine with the lamb.
If you’re entertaining, start the meal with drinks and a bowl of green cracked Greek olives, commonly available in supermarkets. And instead of a green salad before the main course, serve mesclun greens after--tossed in a mustard-dill vinaigrette--with a wedge of carefully selected cheese, maybe a Camembert. Don’t forget a warm, crusty loaf to serve with the meal and salad.
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Braised Lamb Shanks With Shallots and Mushrooms in Port Wine Sauce
Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours
Serve with the gratin or, if you prefer, polenta, mashed potatoes, rice or noodles. The shanks can be refrigerated, covered, 1 to 3 days or frozen up to 1 month. Let meat come to room temperature before reheating.
6 small lamb shanks, about 7 pounds total, trimmed of visible fat
Salt, pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound brown mushrooms, stemmed, halved or quartered if large
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
10 large cloves garlic, peeled, split
6 large shallots, peeled, split
3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup Port wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
* Season shanks with salt and pepper to taste.
* Heat olive oil in roasting pan just large enough to hold shanks in single layer over medium-high heat. Add shanks and sear on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to platter.
* Add brown and shiitake mushrooms, garlic and shallots to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add stock, Port, rosemary and bay leaves. Bring to boil, scraping any bits sticking to pan. Add shanks. Cover with tight-fitting lid or foil.
* Bake at 350 degrees 45 minutes, then turn shanks. Continue baking until meat is tender and just starting to loosen from bone, 45 to 75 minutes. Set pan on counter until meat is cool enough to handle.
* Defat cooking juices by pouring into fat separator and skimming top layer or by pouring juices into bowl and freezing until fat solidifies. Pour some of sauce over shanks and arrange mushrooms on and around meat. (if refrigerating or freezing, should cooking juices be stored in a separate container? kg)
6 servings. Each serving: 573 calories, 568 mg sodium, 100 mg cholesterol, 16 grams fat, 39 grams carbohydrates, 58 grams protein, 4.95 grams fiber.
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Gratin of Eggplant, Potato, Onion and Tomatoes
Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 1/2 hours
This dish can be refrigerated 1 to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before reheating.
TOMATO SAUCE
3 large tomatoes, cored, seeded, finely chopped, about 3 cups
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic, about 2 large cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* Stir together tomatoes, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in medium bowl.
GRATIN
2 medium large russet potatoes, about 18 ounces total, peeled, thinly sliced
Salt, pepper
2 onions, about 9 ounces total, thinly sliced
1 eggplant, about 1 pound, peeled (optional), thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Basil sprigs, optional
* Assemble gratin in greased 10-cup-capacity shallow baking dish with layers in this order: 3/4 cup Tomato Sauce, 1/2 potato slices, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 onion slices, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup Tomato Sauce, 1/2 eggplant slices, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup Tomato Sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, remaining potato slices, salt and pepper to taste, remaining onion, salt and pepper to taste, remaining eggplant, salt and pepper to taste and remaining Tomato Sauce.
* Press vegetables down to lightly compact them. (Vegetables may be higher than sides of dish but will fall as they bake.) Cover with foil.
* Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Use spatula to press vegetables down so juices come toward surface. Continue baking, covered, about 1 hour longer, pressing vegetables again. Remove foil. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Garnish with basil before serving.
6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 148 calories, 309 mg sodium, 5 mg cholesterol, 7 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 0.89 gram fiber.