Lamb shanks with cider (alcohol) and rosemary

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Ishbel

Executive Chef
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
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Location
Scotland
2 lean lamb shanks
1 large leek cut into thick slices
2 sticks of celery
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 eating apples (firm eg Granny Smiths or Worcester Pearmains) peeled, cored and sliced into chunky rings
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 pt of (good) dry cider (think this is the US 'hard' cider)
400g tin of cannellini beans (drained)
salt and freshly milled pepper, to taste

Put the leek, celery, crushed garlic, apple slices and the sprigs of rosemary into an ovenproof casserole dish with a lid. Put the 2 lamb shanks on top and pour over 1 pt of cider. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook (covered) in a preheated oven at Gas mark 3 (325F) for 2-2.5 hours or until the meat is tender and falling from the bone.

About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the lid and add a 400g tin of cannellini beans (drain them well before adding). Mix the sauce well and return to the oven uncovered for the remainder of the cooking time. Remove the sprigs of rosemary before serving.
 
Try It?

Ishbel, you try it? Favorite meat around here and I definitely will. Sounds very good. Lamb very healthy for you too. Of course, you knew that!
 
Ishbel

No wonder you are still here! Recipes you post are all healthy for person. Good for you and your family too. thanks and keep your old recipes coming. Better than fast and easy in my opinion. Except for Rachel Ray all of her dishes are quick. But some seem pretty nutritious. What you think?
 
Oh wow! I am DEFINITELY going to make that, but in a crockpot. It's very similar to one that I make with lamb shanks, spinach and red lentils. GREAT!!

Lee
 
Can we have that recipe too Lee? Paul loves lentils!


Ishbel.. keep them coming!
 
that sounds delicious!! iam going to try that this weekend, but i have a question....as i have never in my life cooked lamb b4, im not sure what a shank is. is that how the package will be labled at the store?

also, how many serving (aprox.) will this make if followed as is?
 
Mugsy, the shank is the end of the leg. It is that nubbin of leg at the South end of a leg of lamb.

We love lamb shanks but usually find them difficult to find in the US (Ishbel lives in lamb country and she can get them all the time, I assume).

Also, the ones we can get are usually very small (although we found some really nice ones in Walmart and they are in our freezer). If you do not find them in the case, you might want to ask the butcher for them.

They have a wonderful flavor if you like lamb. But they do not have the delicate flavor of lamb chops or rack of lamb.

But they are also delightful.

Also we can usually find alcholic cider where we are, but it is not available in many places we have been (again Ishbel has no problem finding the stuff).

This is a down home kind of dish; we usually make it with a brown sauce/gravy (made with lamb stock if we can get the bones), but Ishbel's recipe sounds fantastic.

Give it a try, it will not be fancy but it will be good.
 
ITK
I've never heard of Rachel Ray, sorry!

The amounts I've given are enough for 2 people, but then the lamb shanks we get are quite big - and AuntDot seems to feel that US shanks are a bit small.

AuntDot - yes, lots and lots of sheep in Scotland! My favourite 'Sunday roast' is always leg of lamb!

Still, at least the Highland Clearances meant that there is always plenty of lamb in Scotland. Pity there are so few people, though.....:)
 
Ishbel

You are lucky girl! Guess you have gobs of sweaters too or am I crazy thinking lambswool? Isn't it wonderful to see lambs? I only see them at a zoo. Would like to see them in bunch or what do you call them herd? Leg of lamb. Our favorite that we have only 1-2 time year and you every Sunday? Have you ever eaten goat? My family used to go to an uncle who was Russian and he always had goats for milking and for eating. When I was young I was fearful cause we had to go to outhouse (you have them) and had to go through th goat pen. One of the mothers butted my sister. don't know what provoked her? My sister didn't want to go back there after that. This was in small town in the country.
 
In the Kitchen said:
You are lucky girl! Guess you have gobs of sweaters too or am I crazy thinking lambswool? Isn't it wonderful to see lambs? I only see them at a zoo. Would like to see them in bunch or what do you call them herd? Leg of lamb. Our favorite that we have only 1-2 time year and you every Sunday? Have you ever eaten goat? My family used to go to an uncle who was Russian and he always had goats for milking and for eating. When I was young I was fearful cause we had to go to outhouse (you have them) and had to go through th goat pen. One of the mothers butted my sister. don't know what provoked her? My sister didn't want to go back there after that. This was in small town in the country.

A 'herd' of sheep is called a flock! Scottish knitwear is very good. You may have heard of Pringle, the knitwear company based in the Scottish borders. Most golfers proudly own at least one Pringle sweater. Scotland is also famous for its cashmere knitwear.

I don't eat lamb EVERY Sunday - but love what we call a 'Sunday Roast' meal - which in the UK can be lamb, pork, beef,chicken or duck - served with all the usual vegetables.

I'm not too keen on goat, and would never choose to cook it myself. But when I visit Jamaican friends, I eat curried goat. It's certainly way down on the list of my favourite foods.
 
another fantastic looking one ishbel, thanks. i've been thinking about doing a whole leg some sunday, and i think this will be a hit.
i'm not a fan of mint with lamb, and so often that's all you see here in the u.s.. i mean i'll enjoy it that way, but it's only one way to make it. i love lamb and am always looking for new preps. rosemary and apples, garlic and leeks/celery always goes well.
do i really have to waste a pint of cider, tho? oh well, for the cause...

btw, i recommend magner's or bullmer's irish cider if you can find it.
 
buckytom said:
another fantastic looking one ishbel, thanks. i've been thinking about doing a whole leg some sunday, and i think this will be a hit.
i'm not a fan of mint with lamb, and so often that's all you see here in the u.s.. i mean i'll enjoy it that way, but it's only one way to make it. i love lamb and am always looking for new preps. rosemary and apples, garlic and leeks/celery always goes well.
do i really have to waste a pint of cider, tho? oh well, for the cause...

btw, i recommend magner's or bullmer's irish cider if you can find it.

The Bulmer's cider available here is the English stuff made in Herefordshire. I tend to use Merrydown dry cider! And yes, you have to waste a pint (imperial one, remember!) - but just THINK about that sauce....

I love mint sauce with lamb - YUMMMMM. But I always make my own. and I absolutely HATE that bright green coloured, slightly sweetie-tasting mint jelly that is readily available.:sick:
 
Lamb and Red Lentil Stew

pdswife said:
Can we have that recipe too Lee? Paul loves lentils!

Here you go, pdswife. I forgot that I make it with Swiss Chard, not spinach. It's one of my favorite stews and the house smells so good when I get home from work!

Lee

Lamb and Red Lentil Stew

  • 1 large onion -- chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic -- minced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups Swiss chard -- chopped
  • 1 bag red lentils (2 cups)
  • 2 lamb shanks
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Saute onion and garlic in oil until limp in a skillet. Combine with remaining ingredients, except lemon juice, and 2 quarts water in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Add lemon juice, adjust seasonings and serve. Shanks may be served on the side or meat may be removed from bones, diced and returned to soup. Serves 4 to 6
 
Wonderful!

Thanks Ishbel for the explanation. I learned about different parts of world in school but never been there. Goat is not good to eat . I rememeber my uncle barbequing it. The milk had strong flavor and didn't know any difference until I tasted different goat milk. You t h ink a goat a goat, not necessarily the case. Thanks for your recipe. Just like buckytom I will surely try it . Have t o do some search to try to find right ingredients. You are right about the green mint. Someday would you post your mint sauce on here?
 
Am not a fan of goat either, but knew a woman who raised goats and she would have the kids butchered. That was very good meat but you cannot get it in the US unless you know someone who raises the animals, or so I am told.
 
Thanks

Ishbel said:

Will try this very soon. They usually don't carry lamb regularly in the store I shop. Usually around Easter they are getting it. I have seen the lamb already seasoned and prepared to just bake. I would never get one that is already with seasoning. I like to know what is in it. The sauce just sounds so good too. thanks again
 
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