Penitent Lamb Shanks

Last week, I came back from a hearing out of town just in time for the Trauma Whisperer to pass the baton, VO2Max, to me before she started the night shift. I was tired and when I went into the kitchen to prepare dinner, I discovered that the refrigerator was barren. I'm talking empty. Well, VO2Max wanted Pop-Tarts or, in the alternative, Mac and Cheese. There was no way I was feeding him Pop-Tarts for dinner, but we had no milk for the Mac and Cheese. I lacked the energy to go to the store, so I made him a modified Mac & Cheese using sour cream, water, and some whipping cream that was in the expiration-date penumbra (there is a 3-day grace period from expiration, right?) He ate a bowl but said it tasted "spicy." Later, when he went to bed, I ate the Pop-Tarts.

I felt guilty about that night and, as a dutiful Catholic, felt obliged to do penance. In this case, it was preparing this lamb shank recipe from the October 2007 Saveur. It had an ingredient list as long as "On The Road," and required a couple of days of work. The result was tasty and interesting -- some Moroccan action going on in the pot -- but for the effort, I think I should have just said a dozen Hail Marys.

A serious marinade.

Spice-Braised Lamb Shanks with Lentils

2 cups white wine, preferably gewürztraminer 1 1⁄4 cups extra-virgin olive oil 1⁄3 cup coriander seeds 3 tbsp. fennel seeds 2 tsp. black peppercorns 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 10 cloves garlic (8 whole, 2 halved) 4 cinnamon sticks, halved 4 green cardamom pods 6 carrots, peeled (4 thinly sliced, 2 cut into 1"-thick rounds) 3 ribs celery (2 thinly sliced crosswise, 1 quartered) 3 medium yellow onions (2 thinly sliced, 1 halved) 1 3" piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced 1 orange, thinly sliced, ends discarded 4 1-lb. lamb shanks, trimmed and frenched 3 tbsp. canola oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 6 cups chicken stock 1 1⁄2 cups French green lentils (lentilles vertes du Puy) 4 whole cloves 4 slices smoked bacon, quartered 1 delicata or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1⁄4" cubes 2 bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1⁄4" cubes 3 plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and cut into 1⁄4" cubes 1 tbsp. thinly sliced flat-leaf parsley leaves 1. Combine wine, 1 cup of the olive oil, coriander, fennel, peppercorns, pepper flakes, whole garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, sliced carrots, sliced celery, sliced onions, ginger, and oranges in a bowl. Add lamb; toss to coat. Divide between 2 large sealable plastic bags and let marinate in the refrigerator for 36–48 hours. 2. Heat oven to 300°. Remove lamb from marinade. Scrape off any marinade that clings to lamb; reserve marinade. Heat canola oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Season lamb all over with salt and pepper. Brown the lamb, turning occasionally, 12–14 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate. Add reserved marinade; cook, scraping up browned bits, 2–3 minutes. Add lamb and stock; boil. Cover pot with foil; braise in oven until tender, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Remove from oven; let cool for 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to a bowl; set aside. Strain broth, discarding solids; skim off and discard fat. Reserve lamb and broth. 3. Put lentils and 2 cups water into a pot. Bring to a boil; drain and rinse lentils and return to pot. Press cloves into onion halves; add to pot with remaining garlic, carrots, celery, and bacon. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until tender, 25–30 minutes. Discard all aromatics and return lentils to pot with squash and 2 1⁄2 cups lamb broth; cook over medium heat until squash is tender, 4–5 minutes. Add pears; cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, parsley, and chives; cook until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute more. Season the lentil mixture with salt and pepper. (Reduce any remaining lamb broth slightly over medium heat.) Divide lentils between 4 large bowls and top with lamb shanks. Drizzle with reduced broth and remaining 1⁄4 cup of olive oil.

The final product. I was almost too tired to eat it.