Braised Lamb Shanks:
6 lamb hindshanks, 18 oz. each
4 oz. herb oil (recipe follows)
2 oz. carrots, scrubbed, large diced
½ head celery, washed, large diced
1 large Spanish onion, large diced
1 qt. good pinot noir or red wine
2 qt. fresh lamb or chicken stock
12 sprigs whole thyme
to taste, salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. AA unsalted butter
Herb Oil:
3 oz. olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp. tarragon
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
Mashed Fingerlings:
24 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
4 oz. AA unsalted butter
2 oz. heavy cream, scalded
3 Tbsp. chopped parsley
to taste, salt and pepper
Sautéed Spinach:
3 Tbsp. AA unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 lb. spinach, stems removed, triple washed
to taste, salt and pepper to taste
For the Braised Lamb Shanks: Rub lamb shanks with herb oil; refrigerate for 24 hours. In a 12-quart braising or roasting pan over medium-high heat, sear all sides of the shanks until obtaining a rich brown color. Remove shanks; let rest. Add carrots, celery and onion to the hot pan; sauté until tender. Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add stock and thyme. Place seared shanks back into the pan; cover and braise for approximately 2 hours at 325°F, or until lamb is very tender and almost falling off the bone. Remove shanks; keep warm. Strain stock and reduce by 70 percent. Season with salt and pepper and finish with butter; these are your pan juices.
For the herb oil: In a blender, add oil, garlic, pepper, tarragon, rosemary and mustard; blend on high for 10 seconds.
For the mashed fingerlings: In a large pan, steam or boil potatoes until fork tender; drain. Mash potatoes with butter, cream, parsley, salt and pepper.
For the sautéed spinach: In a large pot over medium heat, add butter and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes. Add spinach, stirring occasionally; cook until spinach wilts, approximately 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
To plate: Place 4 ounces of mashed fingerlings on bottom of plate. Place sautéed spinach on potatoes, and balance shank on top, bone straight up. Finish with pan juices and rosemary garnish.
