Lamb Shank With Lima Beans In the French Style
- 1 pound dried baby lima beans
- 4 small lamb shanks
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 13 cup water
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons brandy or grappa
- 2 cups good tinned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaf
- 4 cups white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To reconstitute the dried beans, soak them overnight or bring them to a boil in a pan of water, remove from heat, let soak two hours, then drain.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan.
- Over medium-high heat brown the lamb on all sides, and set aside.
- Drain the fat, and deglaze the pan with the water.
- Set the liquid aside.
- In a large, heavy ovenproof casserole, saute the chopped shallots in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over a low-medium heat, until translucent.
- Add garlic; saute for another minute.
- Add the brandy or grappa and the tomatoes; cook over low heat for five minutes.
- Add the bay leaf and thyme.
- Arrange the lamb in the pan, meatier side down, add the drained beans, add the deglazing liquid from the browning pan, and pour in the wine.
- Bring slowly to a simmering boil; reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer five minutes.
- Cover and bake in the oven for two hours, or cook on top of the stove for two hours, checking periodically that the liquid is at a simmer, not a rolling boil.
- Serve one shank to a person with a cup of beans and liquid.
beans, lamb shanks, olive oil, water, shallots, garlic, brandy, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, white wine, salt
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/6287 (may not work)