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November 2011

More Meals

Easy Entertaining Meal

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shanks with Lentils, Garlic & Rosemary

Serves 4 (or more)
Taken from Spilling the Beans by Julie Van Rosendaal

Browning the meat adds flavour to the final dish (which can be done on the barbecue) but it isn’t absolutely necessary. If you’re pressed for time, toss them straight into the slow cooker or pot. You can use this same technique with a whole leg of lamb, with or without the bone. If you do it in the slow cooker and the bone sticks out, cover the open part with tin foil to trap the heat—it works just fine! (Tip: if there are leftover lentils in a mass of sticky juices in the bottom of the pot, turn them into soup. y.u.m.)

You'll Need

Olive or canola oil, for cooking (optional)
4 lamb shanks (about 4 lb/1.8 kg total)
¾ cup (185 mL) dry green or brown lentils
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 garlic bulb, cloves separated and peeled
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt to taste
1 cup (250 mL) red wine (optional)
1 cup (250 mL) chicken, beef, or vegetable stock

Prep and Cook

In a large, heavy skillet, heat a drizzle of oil over high heat and brown the lamb shanks a couple at a time, turning to brown them on all sides. (Don’t worry about cooking them through.) Put the lentils and carrot in the bottom of a slow cooker or large ovenproof pot and put the browned shanks on top. Scatter with the garlic, rosemary, and a sprinkling of salt. Pour the wine and stock overtop.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or bake in a 325°F oven for 3 to 3½ hours, until the lamb is very tender. Serve the shanks alongside the lentils, with roasted or boiled potatoes, or White Bean Mashed Potatoes (page 203).

Did you try the Easy Entertaining Meal?
What do you think?

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Comments

Posted by Carmen on December 08, 2011 at 02:06 AM

I made this the other night and it was both delicious and easy. Thank you!
I did add the 1 cup of wine, which made the whole dish very rich. It may have been too much for the kids. We loved it though.