Tom Patterson's Recipe

Spice-Braised Lamb Shanks With Lentils

Category: Recipes

SERVES 4

2 cups white wine, preferably gewilrztraminer
11/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup coriander seeds
3 tbsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
10 cloves garlic (8 whole, 2 halved)
4 cinnamon sticks, halved
4 green cardamom pods
6 carrots, peeled (4 thinly sliced, 2 cut into l"-thick rounds)
3 ribs celery (2 thinly sliced crosswise, l quartered)
3" piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced, ends discarded
4 1-lb. lamb shanks, trimmed and frenched
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken stock
11/2 cups French green lentils (Ientilles vertes du Puy)
4 whole cloves
4 slices smoked bacon, quartered
1 delicata or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into l/4" cubes
2 bose pears, peeled, cored, (2 thinly sliced, 1 halved)
3 medium yellow onionsand cut into l/4" cubes
3 plum tomatoes, peeled,cored, and cut into 1/4" cubes
1 tbsp. thinly sliced flat-leaf parsley leaves
Combine wine, 1 cup olive oil, coriander, fennel, peppercorns, pepper
flakes, whole garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, sliced carrots, sliced celery,
sliced onions, ginger, and oranges in a bowl. Add lamb; toss to coat. Divide
between 2 large sealable plastic bags and let marinate in the refrigerator
for 36-48 hours.

Heat oven to 300°. Remove lamb from marinade. Scrape off any mari­ nade that
clings to lamb; reserve marinade. Heat canola oil in a wide pot over
medium-high heat. Season lamb allover with salt and pepper. Brown the lamb,
turning occasionally, 12-14 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate. Add reserved
marinade; cook, scraping up browned bits, 2-3 minutes. Add lamb and stock;
boil. Cover pot with foil; braise in oven until tender, about 21/2 hours.
Remove from oven; let cool for 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to a bowl; set
aside. Strain broth, discarding solids; skim off and discard fat. Reserve
lamb and broth.

Put lentils and 2 cups water into a pot. Bring to a boil; drain and rinse
lentils and return to pot. Press cloves into onion halves; add to pot with
remaining garlic, carrots, celery, and bacon. Cover with water; bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until tender, 25-30 minutes. Discard
all aromatics and return lentils to pot with squash and 21/2 cups lamb
broth; cook over medium heat until squash is tender, 4-5 minutes. Add pears;
cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, parsley, and chives; cook until tomatoes
are softened, about 1 minute more. Season the lentil mixture with salt and
pepper. (Reduce any remaining lamb broth slightly over me­ dium heat.)
Divide lentils between 4 large bowls and top with lamb shanks. Drizzle with
reduced broth and remaining olive oil.