Lamb Shanks and Polenta
Prepared ahead, this makes for a simple dinner party
Allow these to slowly cook until the meat is falling off the bone. They can be prepared a few hours ahead of time, then heated and served for a dinner party. Everyone loves to have a whole shank. Serves 4.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 small, meaty lamb shanks (about 4 pounds total)
salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, finely diced
3 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups of big-bodied red wine
1 pound of parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds (carrots can be substituted for parsnips or mixed in as you wish)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and cook, in batches if necessary, turning with tongs until well browned, about 10 minutes each batch. Remove the lamb shanks with tongs to a plate and set aside.
Stir the onion, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic into the Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until the onions are very soft. Add 3 cups of the wine and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the lamb shanks to the Dutch oven and lightly simmer the mixture, tightly covered, in the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the shanks over after 45 minutes. Stir in the parsnips / carrots and the remaining 1/2 cup of wine and continue to cook, covered, in the oven for another 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. The shanks should be falling from the bone.
Make garnish by stirring together 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest, and 1 small garlic clove.
Place a large spoonful of polenta on each plate. Top with a lamb shank, some parsnips / carrots, and a dab of the garnish.
Soft Polenta Ingredients
2 cups water
1 quart milk
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably coarse-ground)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
Bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan and reduce the heat to moderate so that it comes to a simmer.
Pour in the cornmeal by the handful in a thin stream, very slowly, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Keep the mixture at a bare simmer and stir constantly. Cook the polenta, stirring and crushing any lumps that might form against the side of the pan, for 10 minutes. (As it cooks, the polenta will thicken considerably.) The polenta is done when it comes away effortlessly from the side of the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the butter, parmesan cheese, and black pepper into the polenta.