By In The Kitchen With Stefano Faita
4 lamb shanks
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Flour, as needed for dredging
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 to 2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 to 4 anchovies, or to taste
1 to 2 garlic cloves, for paste
2 tsp. lemon zest, to garnish
Parsley, for garnishing
Spring Vegetable Stew, for serving (optional)
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off any excess.
Heat Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil and when hot, add lamb shanks. Cook, turning to brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic and rosemary. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add white wine and 1 cup stock and bring to a boil.
Cover and transfer to oven. Continue to cook shanks, turning occasionally and adding more stock if pan looks dry, about 2 hours.
Using a mortar and pestle, combine red wine vinegar, anchovies and garlic cloves and grind to a paste. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, finely chop the garlic and anchovies and then combine with vinegar.) Add paste to Dutch oven. Stir. Continuing cooking until lamb is tender, about another 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size of shanks.
Transfer the lamb shanks to platter. Skim any fat from the pan. For a thicker sauce, bring to boil over medium high heat and reduce, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Spoon sauce over lamb shanks. Garnish with lemon zest and chopped parsley. Serve with Spring Vegetable Stew, if desired.
Yield: 4 servings.