Lamb shanks are another lower cost cut that transform into something wonderful when cooked for a long time in a flavourful braising liquid. The long cooking breaks down tough fibres in the meat and renders gelatin into the sauce. When properly cooked, the shank is fork-tender with a rich sauce that coats your tastebuds.
4 whole lamb shanks (about 2 lb [1 kg])
1 head garlic, halved
4 medium leeks, split, washed, and trimmed
1 stalk celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh sage
2 cups (500 mL) mushroom stock
2 cups (500 mL) apple cider
½ cup (125 mL) dried morel mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°F).
In a small roasting pan with a lid (or cover tightly in aluminum foil), place the lamb, garlic, leeks, celery, carrots, rosemary, sage, stock, and apple cider. Rinse the morels under hot water and drain. Add to the rest of the ingredients. Cover the pan and place in the oven for 1–1½ hours, or until the shanks are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer the entire mixture to a storage container and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, remove the fat layer from the top of the stock. Remove the lamb shanks and set aside. Place the liquid and vegetables into a large saucepan over high heat and reduce the volume by half.
Add the shanks back to the stock, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the shanks are warmed through and very tender. Transfer to serving plates and serve with mashed potatoes, risotto, or soft polenta.
SERVES 4