*from “The Gift of Southern Cooking”
(to serve 4 people) by Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock
4 lamb shanks, about 1 pound each, or veal shanks
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons dried thyme – 2 for the meat, 1 for the braising vegetables
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, cut into ½ inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
3 medium green tomatoes, cored and cut into ½ inch chunks (2 ½ – 3 cups)
3 bay leaves
½ cup white wine
1 cup Chicken Stock or water
Preheat the over to 325 F.
Rinse the shanks well, and pat them with paper towel until completely dry. Trim the shanks of any excess fat, and rub 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and 2 teaspoons of the dried thyme into them so they are well seasoned.
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat, add the butter, and heat until melted and bubbling but not colored. Place the shanks in the pan and cook, turning on all sides, until deeply browned all over.
Remove the browned shanks from the pan, and transfer them to a baking dish just large enough to hold them.
Pour off half the fat from the sauté pan, then immediately add the chopped onions, celery, and carrot. Sprinkle on 1 ½ teaspoons salt and the remaining dried thyme. Stir well to distribute the seasonings and cooking fat. Using a wooden spoon, dislodge any caramelized bits from the sauté pan and stir them into the vegetables – the moisture released by the sautéing of the vegetables will help to facilitate the deglazing. Continue sautéing the vegetables until they begin to brown – about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, green tomatoes, and bay leaves, and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes longer, and pour in the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and taste carefully for seasoning. Adjust as needed with salt and pepper. Spoon the vegetables over the shanks, and place a piece of parchment paper directly over them. Cover tightly with a double thickness of aluminum foil, shiny side down. (Don’t omit the parchment; the acidity of the tomatoes in direct contact with the foil could impart a metallic flavor.)
Cook on the middle rack of the preheated over for 1 ½ hours, or until a paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the meat pierces and releases easily. Remove the foil and parchment and cook, basting occasionally, for ½ hour longer, or until the shanks begin to glaze and take on a rich, caramelized color. Remove from the over and spoon off any visible fat. Taste the vegetables and sauce carefully, and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve the shanks hot with the braising vegetables spooned over.
