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| Succulent lamb braised on the shank bones with glazed shallots. |
Last week I posted a recipe for lamb riblets taken from my forthcoming book, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain. While I’m on the subject of lamb—I just happen to have a freezer full of various cuts from a lamb we butchered in April. Lucky me. Lamb is my most favorite meat of all.
This week, while no one else is at the table, seems like a good opportunity to cook two small shanks. The recipe comes from Canal Cordero, “the lamb channel,” an online site dedicated to promoting Spain’s superb lamb. Canal Cordero offers, besides information about lamb, a recetario, an all-lamb cookbook (in Spanish), with recipes both traditional and cheffy for many different cuts. This recipe for lamb shanks is adapted from that site.
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| Red wine gives depth to the sauce. |
Lamb Shanks Braised in Red Wine
Zancarrones de Cordero Guisado al Vino Tinto
I used two very small (5-ounces each) lamb shanks, serving one—me. The recipe given is for larger shanks to serve two persons. I substituted shallots (chalotas) for the small onions (cebollas francesas). I used olive oil in place of butter for the glazing.
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| Two small shanks to serve one. |
Serves 2.
2 lamb shanks, each 8-10 ounces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 leek, chopped
½ cup chopped carrot
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Sprigs thyme and rosemary + additional for garnish
1 bay leaf
1 cup red wine
1 cup lamb or chicken stock + more as needed to thin the sauce
12 small onions (about 1 pound), peeled
1 cup water
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
Sprinkle the shanks with salt and pepper and let them come to room temperature.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pan and brown the shanks on all sides. Remove them. Add the onion, leek, carrot and garlic. Sauté gently until onion is softened, 5 minutes.
Return the shanks to the pan. Add the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Add the wine and cook off the alcohol, 1 minute. Add the stock. Cover and cook gently until the lamb is very tender, about 60 minutes.
While the lamb is cooking, place the onions in a small pan with the water, 2 tablespoons of oil, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and cook until onions are very tender when tested with a knife, about 15 minutes. Uncover and raise heat to cook off any remaining liquid and slightly glaze the onions.
Remove the shanks from the pan. (If desired, the meat can be removed from the shank bones). Discard the herbs. Saving a few pieces of carrot for garnish, press the remaining vegetables and sauce through a sieve. Discard the solids. Return the sauce to the pan and add enough additional stock to make a sauce the consistency of gravy. Reheat the shanks in the sauce. Serve the lamb shanks with the onions and sprigs of fresh herbs.
And, because it's grilling season:
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COMING SOON! My newest cookbook, FLAVORS OF AL-ANDALUS, The Culinary Legacy of Spain, will be published August 12, 2025! See Meatballs with Backstory for more about what’s in the book and to view several of the page spreads. The book has garnered advance reviews. See those at Advance Praise for Flavors of al-Andalus.
This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking.
Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. Dishes from this era include exotic spices such as saffron, the use of fruits and almonds with savory dishes, and honeyed sweets and pastries. The flavors of al-Andalus live on in modern Spanish cooking and are what makes Spain’s cuisine distinctive from the rest of Europe. (Hippocrene Books)
Use PROMO CODE HIPPO40 for 40% off through June 30 on all Hippocrene titles at IndiePubs online bookstore.
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