Braised Lamb Shanks with Gremolata and Baked Polenta

Preparation: 90 minutes
Oven: 90 minutes

Ingredients

lamb shanks
6 lb. lamb shanks (6–8 shanks, depending on size), trimmed
2 Tbsp. kosher salt plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 tsp. coarsely ground fennel seeds
7 garlic cloves, 1 grated, 6 minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large onions, minced
2 Tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups drained canned diced tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine
4 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth

polenta
1½ cups polenta (coarse cornmeal)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. kosher salt
1½ cups finely grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp. (¼ stick) unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
gremolata and assembly
¾ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

Recipe

Lamb shanks

Place the shanks on a large rimmed baking sheet; season the whole with 2 Tbsp. of salt and generously with pepper. In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary, fennel seeds, and grated garlic, then massage into the lamb. Cover and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature or, preferable, cool overnight.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Over medium heat, warm up the oil in a large wide heavy pot. Add in the onions, season with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring periodically, until golden, for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add in the minced garlic, flour, paprika and the red pepper flakes. Stir vigorously to distribute the flour evenly. Cook while stirring often, until the mixture dries up, for about 1 minute. Add in the tomatoes and the white wine. Simmer briskly and stir, until the juices thicken and tomatoes start breaking down, for about 10 minutes.

Gradually add in the 4 cups of broth. Simmer until flavours have melded completely, for about 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the lamb to a pot in a single layer, while pushing them down into the sauce (if needed, pour in additional broth so that the shanks are just about ¾ submerged).

Roast uncovered until the tops of the lamb have browned, for about 30 minutes. With tongs, turn the lamb over and roast for 30 more minutes.

Cover and cook while turning the shanks ever so often, until the meat is tender and nearly falling off the bone, for about 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours (the time needed will depend on the size of the meat). Remove the pot from the oven and skim the fat off the surface. Let the shanks rest in the liquid for at least 30 minutes.

Ahead of time: The lamb shanks can be prepared 1 day ahead. Simply refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep cool.

Polenta

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a 13x9x2 baking dish, mix in the polenta, oil, salt, and 7 ½ cups of water. Add the cheese and butter and season with pepper. Smooth out the top and continue baking until the polenta is set and jiggles like custard, for about 25 to 30 minutes.

In the meantime, dispose of any fat from the surface of the lamb mixture and bring the whole to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, and reduce to low heat, simmer the whole gently, turning the shanks occasionally and stirring the sauce, until completely heated through, for about 20 minutes. For the larger shanks, remove from the pot, let cool slightly, and roughly shred the meat from the bones. Then return the meat to the sauce. (If there are 8 small shanks, they can be served whole, set directly atop the polenta.)

Preheat the broiler. Broil the polenta, surveilling the whole very closely to prevent it from burning, until the surface is a light golden colour, for about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately for a softer polenta, for a firmer texture, let the whole rest for up to 30 minutes.

Gremolata and assembly

With a sharp knife, mince the parsley (making sure that it is dry). In a small bowl, mix the parsley with the rest of the ingredients, and toss to incorporate evenly.

Distribute the polenta on large wide bowls. Spoon in the meat and juices over the whole. Finally, sprinkle the meat generously with the gremolata.

Original recipe courtesy of David Tanis via https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/braised-lamb-shanks-gremolata-baked-polenta