Braiseworthy lamb shanks w/roasted garlic and white beans

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 cup Dried cannellini,
Great Northern,
Or navy beans
1 large Head garlic
1 tablespoon Olive oil
4 Lamb shanks (1 lb ea)
Trimmed of fat and membrane
2 smalls Carrots
Peeled and diced
1 Onion(s), chopped
1 Stalk celery, diced
½ cup Dry red wine
½ cup Beef stock
1 can (28oz)
Plum tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons Rosemary, chopped or
2 teaspoons Dried rosemary
1 Bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Sort beans, discarding any debris. Rinse and place in a large bowl.

Cover with cold water and soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Or place beans in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.

Boil for 2 min. Remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 300 F. Remove as mush of the outer husk of the garlic as possible without separating the cloves. Wrap loosely in aluminum foil and bake for 30 min. Unwrap foil and separate the cloves slightly so that they cook evenly. Wrap again and bake for 30 min more, or until the garlic is very soft. Set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 325 F.

In a Dutch oven, heat 1½ tsp oil over medium-high heat. Add lamb shanks and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Add the remaining 1 ½ tsp oil to the pan, then add carrots, onions, and celery; saute for 2-3 min, or until softened. Add wine and cook until it has reduced by half, 5-7 min. Stir in beef stock, tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaf. Peel half the roasted garlic cloves and add to the pan; bring to a boil. Return the meat to the pan, cover tightly, and place in the oven. Bake for 1 ½-2 hours, turning the shanks occasionally, or until the meat is very tender.

Meanwhile, drain beans and place in a large, heavy pot. Add water to cover by about 4 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 min to 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. Drain.

Can be prepared ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate the stew and beans separately for up to 2 days. Lift off fat that has solidified on the surface of the stew and reheat before proceeding.

With tongs, transfer the shanks to a plate, cover and keep warm.

Remove bay leaf from the sauce and skim off fat. Boil the sauce for about 5 min, or until slightly thickened. Peel the remaining roasted garlic and add to the sauce along with the drained beans. Heat through and season with salt and pepper. Mound the bean mixture on a platter and place the lamb shanks on top.

eating Well Recipe Rescue Cookbook ISBN 1-884943-01-2 pg 137

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