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11/02/2004 Archived Entry: "Lamb Shanks in Tomato Sauce"

I went to a new butcher the other day and he had the most beautiful lamb shanks in his case. I took four. I love lamb shanks. But what to do with them this time? In my new book, I have Tom Valenti’s famous recipe for lamb shanks, the recipe that launched his career and fame when he was cooking at a little place on Dominick Street in Tribeca, Alison on Dominick. This was before Tribeca was Hollywood on the Hudson. Now Valenti has two restaurants on the Upper West Side, Ouest and ‘Cesca, where he serves similar dishes.

Needing fresh inspiration, I consulted my friend Michele Scicolone’s new cookbook, 1,000 Italian Recipes. As I expected, she has several recipes for lamb shanks, including one for lamb shanks in tomato sauce. Being the dedicated southern Italian cook that I am, my motto is always “When in doubt, tomato sauce.” I didn’t follow Michele’s recipe exactly – I used onion instead of garlic and I reversed her proportions of broth and tomato, making mine more tomatoe-y.

With just a little beef broth to underline the flavor of the lamb shanks, it was a glorious dish. The shanks were tender and packed with their deep flavor. The sauce was sensational. I only wish I had served the meat with mashed potatoes to absorb some of the sauce. I noticed, however, that everyone cleaned their plate of sauce, mopping up every last bit with pieces of meat.

Lamb Shanks in Tomato Sauce
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
4 lamb shanks
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup beef broth
2 cups canned, peeled Italian tomatoes, roughly crushed or chopped
3 small sprigs rosemary
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a pan with a tight fitting cover that is large enough to hold the lamb shanks (a 12-inch sauté pan is perfect), heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, salt the shanks and brown them well on all sides. If the shanks fit snuggly in the pan, brown them two at a time. (It’s fine for them to be tight in the pan once the liquid has been added.) Remove the browned ones and brown the second two. Adjust heat so that the oil does not smoke or burn, and the glaze of brown on the bottom of the pan does not burn.

As they are browned, remove the shanks from the pan. Set aside on a platter. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for about 3 minutes, until well wilted. Add the broth and scrape up any browned bits that may still be sticking to the pan. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, and black pepper. Stir to blend.

Return the meat to the pan. Turn the shanks in the liquid – it should come about half way up the sides of the meat -- then cover the pan, lower the heat, and gently simmer the meat until it is very tender. This will take from a little more than an hour to as long as two hours. About every 20 minutes, turn the shanks. About half way through the cooking, taste the sauce and add salt if necessary.

The shanks can be served immediately, or gently reheated.