Here is another recipe for lamb shanks, highly recommended by one of our former apprentices, Mike Rathjen:
Braised Lamb Shanks. (originally from “Earth to Table, p. 250).
Note from the chef:
We feature lamb shanks on our winter menu at the restaurant. As a chef, I gravitate toward cheap cuts of meat, like lamb shanks. They are very flavorful, and I hope to inspire you to use a variety of meat cuts.
Our lamb comes from Brenda and Shane Forsyth, who own a lamb farm. I have developed a relationship with them over my time as the chef at the Ancaster Old Mill. I try to help farmers and work with them: rather than buying only prime cuts, as some chefs do, I buy a whole lamb and use as much of the animal as possible. We usually purchase about four lambs a week, and I use both the popular and unpopular cuts.
(My comment: BRAVO!! to that.)
Here is the recipe:
Serves 4:
4 small lamb shanks (each about 8 oz.)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 leek (white and light green parts only), roughly chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 dried bay leaf
2 cups dry red wine
4 cups beef stock.

Generously season lamb with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat until smoking. Add lamb and cook, turning, until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer lamb to a large Dutch oven and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, celery, carrot, onion, leek, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf to the pan. Saute until vegetables are golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine and cook, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Pour everything over lamb. (Liquid should cover shanks: if it doesn’t, add water or more stock until covered.) Cover and bake, turning every 20 minutes, until meat is very tender and yields easily when pierced with a knife, about 3 hours. Remove meat, strain sauce, and reduce by half. Serve lamb in a shallow dish, dressed with sauce, ideally with Cipollini Onions.

Generously season lamb with salt and pepper.

This recipe comes highly recommended by our son, who says “Very good, quite different from typical lamb recipes here but pretty close to lamb I’ve had in China and at better restaurants in Richmond and Ottawa. Can’t get it like this in Victoria, I don’t think.”

Fragrant, intense and full of fiery chile, this lamb stir-fry isn’t for the timid eater. For the most authentic flavor, it’s worth your while to seek out Sichuan peppercorns, which have a woodsy, tongue-numbing, camphor quality. (They are available at specialty spice markets, in Chinatown, or online.) You can substitute regular black peppercorns, but you won’t get the same punch. If you’re not a lamb-lover, you can also try this with lean beef. Serve this over white or brown rice to cut the heat, with a side of sliced cucumbers dressed with sesame oil and salt for freshness.

TOTAL TIME
35 minutes

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons Sichuan or regular peppercorns
1 pound boneless lamb
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 to 8 dried red chiles (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon or more crushed red pepper)
1 large white onion
1 bunch (about 8) scallions, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese cooking sherry (Shaoxing rice wine) or dry sherry
2 cups fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
Rice, for serving

Preparation

1.
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds and peppercorns until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush lightly.
2.
Slice meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Toss meat with crushed spices, ground cumin, salt and dried chiles.
3.
Peel onion and halve it through the root end. Trim the ends and cut each half lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut white and light green parts of scallions into 2-inch lengths. Thinly slice scallion greens; keep separate.
4.
Heat a very large skillet or wok over high heat until screaming hot, about 5 minutes. Add oil. Toss in onion and the scallion bottoms. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are lightly charred but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
5.
Add lamb and chiles to skillet. Cook, tossing quickly, until meat begins to brown. Add garlic, soy sauce and sherry. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and lamb is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Toss in onions and scallion bottoms. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro and scallion greens. Serve hot, over rice.

YIELD
4 servings

Originally published with Lamb at Play in a Field of Cumin
March 26, 2014

One of our Facebook friends sent us this recipe for some skewers she made with some of our ground mutton. This would work well with ground lamb, too. As she says, she likes to “wing it” so the amounts aren’t exact, but in such a recipe they don’t need to be. I’m looking forward to trying this recipe myself soon – I hear they were delicious.
Here is what she says to do:
I didn’t use an exact recipe for the mutton or lamb skewers, just winged it. Basically I purchased the 1.2 lbs of mutton at the Metchosin market, thawed it completely, added about 1/3 cup of panko breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, much of the zest of a medium orange, about 2 to 3 tablespoons of pine nuts, about a teaspoon of crushed garlic, and about 1/3 cup of finely chopped pitted kalamata olives. Mix well, then form into 4-inch long by barely one inch wide meatballs, thread onto metal skewers, and grill until done. I serve these with a yogurt, shredded cucumber and garlic sauce, basically a tzatziki but just thrown together with ingredients on hand. For the sauce, shred the cucumber and squeeze out much of the juice before adding it to the yogurt and garlic. Add salt to taste. This was served with a basic Greek salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese, kalamata, marinated red onion (in the white wine vinegar to cut the raw taste) tossed with lots of pepper, fruity olive oil, and the wine vinegar.

This is a very quick and easy lamb stew from Greece.
(This recipe serves 4 people, but I usually double it.)
Ingredients:
2 T. flour
1 lb. boneless lamb meat, cut into bite-sized chunks.
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 T. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic (or equivalent in crushed garlic.)
a good handful of fresh parsley, chopped.
1 C. red wine vinegar.
Directions:
1. Mix flour, salt and pepper together and dredge pieces of lamb in this mixture.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet, medium heat, and brown the lamb evenly. Scrape the pan well, then add the garlic, parsley and red wine vinegar and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This is a Greek lamb pasta type of dish that is delicious.
(serves 8)

Ingredients:
1 pound penne, cooked and drained.
2 pounds ground lamb.
2 medium onions, diced.
1/2 C. red wine.
1 six oz. can tomato paste. (small one)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon.
6 Tbsp. butter.
1/2 C. flour.
3 C. milk.
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional).
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook and drain the pasta and put aside.
2. Cook lamb in a large saucepan until it is no longer pink, breaking it apart as it cooks, then drain excess fat off and return it to the pan.
3. Add the onions and cook until translucent.
4. Add wine and cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – about 5 minutes or so.
5. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon, 2 C. water and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally. (10 – 15 min.)
6. Make cheese sauce as follows:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add flour. When that is all mixed together, add the milk slowly, whisking constantly so that it doesn’t become lumpy. It should take about 8 minutes or so for it to become thickened and bubbly. Add cayenne at this point, if desired.
7. Add pasta to the lamb mixture and pour into a 9×13 inch pan. Pour the sauce over the pasta mixture, covering it completely. Cook until it browns in spots, about 35-40 minutes.

With only 5 ingredients, these lean meatballs couldn’t be any easier to make

Method :

1. Mix together all the ingredients until well blended. Divide into 8 balls, then roll each ball on a board with a cupped hand to turn them into ovals.

2. Thread onto 4 metal skewers and brush with oil. To cook on a griddle: heat the pan until you can feel a good heat rising and cook for 3-4 mins each side. Don’t turn until they are well sealed or the meat will stick to the grill or pan. Season if you want, and set aside. Serve the koftas with yogurt and spiced flat breads.

To BBQ

Put the meat skewers on the grill over a medium heat for about 3-4 mins each side.

Per serving

141 kcalories, protein 13g, carbohydrate 2g, fat 9 g, saturated fat 4g, fibre 1g, salt 0.15 g

Ingredients :

500g lamb mince
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 fat garlic cloves , crushed
1 tbsp chopped mint
oil for brushing

this recipe come from bbcgoodfood.com

(NOTE: These also work for ground mutton or pork.)

Here is another recipe, generously shared with us by Erik Akis of the Times Colonist, for rack of lamb.

Greek-style Roast Rack of Lamb

The tender lamb in this recipe is flavoured Greek-style with lemon, olive oil, garlic and herbs. This recipe could easily be expanded to feed a larger group.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: About 30 to 40 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried mint

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 (8-rib) frenched lamb rack

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3/4 cup beef stock

Preheat oven to 400 F with rack in middle. Place the first eight ingredients in a bowl large enough to hold the lamb. Cut the lamb into two, four-rib racks, set in the bowl and turn to coat with the marinade. Marinate the lamb at room temperature 30 minutes.

Set the lamb, meaty side up, in a small roasting pan. Brush with any marinade left in the bowl. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

Roast lamb 22 to 25 minutes for rare; 25 to 28 minutes for medium-rare; and 30 minutes for medium. See my previous recipe, on page C1, for temperatures.

Transfer lamb to a plate, cover loosely with foil and let rest for five minutes.

To make jus for the lamb, place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the stock, bring to a simmer, simmer two minutes and then reserve on low heat.

To serve, pour jus on each of two dinner plates. Set a lamb rack on each plate and enjoy.

Eric Akis is the author of the just-published hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything.

© Copyright 2013

Thank you, Erik Akis for letting us share this wonderful lamb recipe from your column in the Times Colonist.

Roast Rack of Lamb Provençal

French-style lamb seared, brushed with Dijon mustard and coated with garlicky/herb breadcrumbs. This recipe could easily be expanded to feed a larger group.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: About 30 to 40 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 ( 8-rib) frenched lamb rack

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (see Note)

1/2 tsp herbes de Provence (see Note)

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 medium garlic clove, minced

2 to 3 tsp Dijon mustard

1/3 cup red wine

3/4 cup beef stock

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet set over medium-high. Season lamb with salt and pepper, and then sear two minutes on each side. Set lamb on a plate.

Preheat oven to 400 F with rack in middle. Combine the breadcrumbs, herbes de Provence, parsley and garlic on a plate. Cut the lamb into two pieces, each with four ribs.

Brush the top of the lamb with the mustard. Dip the mustard-coated portion of each lamb rack in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the crumbs on to help them adhere. Set the lamb, crust side up, back in the ovenproof skillet.

Roast the lamb 21 to 24 minutes for rare; 24 to 27 minutes for medium-rare; and 29 to 30 minutes for medium. (For rare, when checked with an instant-read meat thermometer, the very centre of the meat should be 125 F. For medium-rare it should be 130 F, and for medium 140 F.)

Transfer the lamb to a plate, cover loosely with foil and let rest for five minutes.

Meanwhile, drain excess fat from the skillet and place on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Place the stock and flour in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add to the pan and simmer until a thickened sauce forms, about two minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

To serve, pour a pool of sauce on each of two dinner plates. Set a lamb rack on each plate and enjoy.

Note: To make the fresh breadcrumbs, trim the crusts off two slices of white bread. Cube the bread and set in a food processor. Pulse until you turn them into breadcrumbs and they are ready to use.

Herbes de Provence is a French-style blend available in the bottled herb and spice aisle of many supermarkets.

This recipe was sent to me by Melinda, who supplies our farm market with eggs. It was originally posted on zenbelly.com. Thanks for sending it to us – it looks delicious.

1 tablespoon butter, ghee, or coconut oil
2 pounds lamb stew meat
2 medium onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 4 cups)
2 inches / about 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
6 cloves / about 1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne *
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
4 cardamom pods (optional)
6 whole cloves (optional)
2 small sweet potatoes, cubed (optional)

Combine the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, garam masala, tumeric, cayenne, ground cardamom and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a cast iron or stainless pot, melt the butter, ghee or coconut oil over medium high heat.
Sear the lamb in batches, 2 minutes or so per side. Set aside.
Add the onions, turn the heat down to medium, and saute over medium heat for about 8 -10 minutes, until golden brown.
Stir in the garlic / ginger / spice mixture and saute for one minute, stirring constantly.
Add the tomatoes and their juice. If they’re very dry, add a bit of water to make sure the spices don’t burn.
Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes and transfer the contents of the pot to a blender and puree.
Return the lamb and sauce back to the pot along with the optional whole spices.
Simmer over low heat until the lamb is fork tender, anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours.
If using sweet potato, add it to the pot 15-20 minutes before the lamb is done. Continue to simmer until it’s tender.
Serve over coconut “rice” or cauliflower rice

* I simmered this curry with 2 whole fresh cayenne peppers, expecting them to give a bit of heat, but they didn’t. I added 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, which gave it a good kick, and was the perfect heat for us. But it’s a personal thing! If you’re sensitive to heat, add a bit less, and if you’re a total animal, feel free to add a bit more. Thanks for sending it. It looks delicious!

1 tablespoon butter, ghee, or coconut oil
2 pounds lamb stew meat
2 medium onions, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped (about 4 cups)
2 inches / about 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
6 cloves / about 1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cayenne *
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon tumeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon salt
4 cardamom pods (optional)
6 whole cloves (optional)
2 small sweet potatoes, cubed (optional)

Combine the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, garam masala, tumeric, cayenne, ground cardamom and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a cast iron or stainless pot, melt the butter, ghee or coconut oil over medium high heat.
Sear the lamb in batches, 2 minutes or so per side. Set aside.
Add the onions, turn the heat down to medium, and saute over medium heat for about 8 -10 minutes, until golden brown.
Stir in the garlic / ginger / spice mixture and saute for one minute, stirring constantly.
Add the tomatoes and their juice. If they’re very dry, add a bit of water to make sure the spices don’t burn.
Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes and transfer the contents of the pot to a blender and puree.
Return the lamb and sauce back to the pot along with the optional whole spices.
Simmer over low heat until the lamb is fork tender, anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours.
If using sweet potato, add it to the pot 15-20 minutes before the lamb is done. Continue to simmer until it’s tender.
Serve over coconut “rice” or cauliflower rice

* I simmered this curry with 2 whole fresh cayenne peppers, expecting them to give a bit of heat, but they didn’t. I added 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne, which gave it a good kick, and was the perfect heat for us. But it’s a personal thing! If you’re sensitive to heat, add a bit less, and if you’re a total animal, feel free to add a bit more.

Our thanks to our farm store customers who passed on this recipe to us. I haven’t tried it yet myself, but I hear from them that it tastes wonderful. Here it is, reprinted from Eric Akis’ column in the Times Colonist. Eric suggests this be served with a green vegetable and couscous, orzo or boiled mini potatoes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 2 1/2 hours
Makes: 2 servings.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lamb shanks (each about 400 grams)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 C. tomato sauce
1/4 C. red wine
1/4 C. orange juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/4 tsp. ground coriander seed
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 – 1/2 C. pitted dried Moroccan olives, nicoise olives or kalamata olives
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint or parsley
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and then brown well on all sides. Set the shanks in a single layer in a medium-size casserole (mine was about 12 inches long and 8 inches wide). Drain all but 2 tsp. of fat from the skillet. Lower the heat under the skillet to medium.
Add onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except mint or parsley, and bring to a simmer. Pour mixture over lamb.
Cover and bake the lamb until very tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Skim any fat from the surface, then set a lamb shank on each of two plates. Top with sauce, sprinkle with mint or parsley and serve.