Recipe Source: Fitzmorris, Tom. Tom Fitzmorris' New Orleans Food. Stewart Tabori & Chang, New York, 2010 pp. 190 - 1.
The first time I went to New York City I dined with my now-husband at a restaurant called Molyvos. It's probably still there - it's been ages since I've been for anything but Thanksgiving dinner. Anyway, I had a dish called youvetsi, which involved slow-cooked marinated lamb shanks. I fell in love with it. I still get cravings for it. That's not important right now. The only reason I'm mentioning it right now is because that was the first time I'd ever encountered lamb shanks. To this day they are my favorite cut of lamb. Yes, yes, I like lamb roasted, and grilled. I like lamb chops. I like ground lamb. I like leg of lamb, I like lamb steaks. I like all sorts of lamb. But there is no cut of lamb that I like better than or even as much as lamb shanks. As lamb goes, they're some of the more affordable cuts. This may be because lamb shanks are mostly connective tissue and require long, slow cooking in order to reach their full potential. Whatever, I don't care, I love them and I'm always happy to find a new and different use for them.
This is one of those new and different uses. It's a low-and-slow recipe like youvetsi, but it is flavored very differently from my Greek favorite. According to the source it's a popular daily special in New Orleans restaurants. I've never been to New Orleans and the chances that I'll ever make it down there are minimal so maybe someone with more direct experience can confirm that statement. I can't find my notes from this cook, which dates to the day the Patriots made it into the Super Bowl. I think I can remember most of the changes I made though. I reduced the olive oil on general principles. I omitted the salt because my guests that day were very sensitive to salt. I replaced it with chili powder because, well, just because. I substituted parsnips for carrots because carrots are the Devil's food and not in a good chocolate way. I increased the celery mostly to use it up and get it out of my fridge. I increased the garlic because garlic is good for you. I increased the marjoram, which I used fresh, and I increased the rosemary as well. The orange was a blood orange. The wine was not Gewurztraminer, but it was white.
This recipe was very well-received by my guests, my husband and by me. I could have wished that it was less well-received by the guests. Then I could have sneaked into the kitchen late at night and finished off the leftovers when no one could see me. (I'm not in the habit of doing that, the recipe was just that good.) It also made the kitchen very inviting on a cold, dreary, soggy day.
Creole Lamb Shanks (serves 4; approx. cost per serving not available.)
4 lamb shanks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 onions, chunked
2 massive parsnips, cut into thick coins
8 celery stalks, cut into pieces
15 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh marjoram, leaves only, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 blood orange, cut into eighths
1 1/2 cups white wine, plus more for the cook if desired
Equipment:
- Large oven safe skillet or roasting pan
- Large, deep skillet
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Heat the oil in the skillet.
- Season the lamb shanks and brown on all sides. Remove the pan from heat and reserve.
- Transfer the shanks to the roasting pan. Add all the other ingredients except for the wine.
- Add the wine to the skillet in which you browned the shanks. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk constantly to dissolve the pan bits - these have a fancy culinary term and are very important.
- Boil 2 minutes, then pour over the lamb shanks.
- Add water, if necessary, to bring the liquid about 1/3 of the way up the sides of the shanks. Cover and roast 90 minutes.
- Turn the shanks every 30 minutes.
- After 90 minutes remove the cover. Turn the shanks and roast, uncovered, another 30 minutes.
- Continue to cook uncovered until the meat is falling off the bone when lightly touched with a fork.
- Serve and enjoy.
