Recipes for the Web

Barrington Software Incorporated

Lamb Shanks

(ADAPTED FROM "THE COMPLETE MEAT COOKBOOK," BY BRUCE AIDELLS AND DENIS

KELLY)

4 red or green bell peppers

1/4 pound pancetta, chopped

I tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 lamb shanks (4 to 6 pounds total)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

I medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced.

I. Roast the bell peppers over a grill, the flame of a gas burner or under the flame of your broiler.

Turn them frequently until the skin is black and blistered. Place the peppers in a paper bag, seal

the bag and leave for 15 minutes. Remove 'from bag, and when cool enough to handle, cut a small

slit in the bottom of each pepper opposite the stem end and gently remove the seeds without

tearing the peppers apart. (Do not peel the peppers.) Set aside.

2. Reheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the pancetta, rosemary and garlic

until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Cut gashes across the grain in the meaty part of the

shanks and rub the paste into the gashes. Season the shanks all over with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brown the shanks on all sides@

about 10 minutes total- Remove the shanks. Add the wine to the skillet and scrape up any

browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Set aside.

4. Lay out 4 12-inch squares of foil, shiny side up. Sprinkle 1/4 Of the onions onto the center of

each and spoon the pan sauce over them.

Slide a pepper over the meaty part

of each shank and place the pepper- covered shank straight up in the center of each piece of foil

on top of the onions. Pull the foil up around the meat and pepper, twisting it around the bone to

seal (leave a small amount of the bone exposed)

5. Place the shanks in a deep casserole so that they stand upright. Roast until the meat is almost

falling off the bone, 2 to 21/2. hours. To serve, unwrap the shanks over 4 bowls filled with warm

polenta to catch juices and lay the pepper-covered shanks on top.

Yields 4 servings

NYT 3/18/2001

http://www.cooken.com

info@barringtonsoftware.com