Dominican Braised Lamb

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons capers with liquid
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon or 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/4 Scotch bonnet chili
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 shallots, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes, drained
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons capers, with liquid
• 1 small sliver Scotch bonnet chili
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To make the lamb, in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or braising pan, heat the oil over high heat.
3. Sprinkle lamb shanks with salt and pepper and cook until seared all over.
4. Remove shanks, drain excess oil and return shanks to the pan.
5. Add garlic, chicken stock, capers and enough cold water to just cover the shanks.
6. In a square of cheesecloth, tie together the thyme, tarragon and Scotch bonnet and add to the pan.
7. Return the pan to high heat and bring just to a boil.
8. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and bake in the oven until the meat is very tender and begins to pull away from the bone, about 2 1/2 hours.
9. Remove from the oven and cool.
10. Discard the cheesecloth bundle.
11. To make the sauce, in a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
12. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
13. Using your hands, squeeze as much excess liquid from the drained tomatoes as possible.
14. Add the tomatoes to the pan along with the tomato paste, sugar and 1 teaspoon of the capers.
15. Add 2 1/2 cups of the liquid the lamb shanks were cooked in.
16. Tie the sliver of Scotch bonnet in a piece of cheesecloth and add.
17. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1/2hour.
18. Remove and discard the cheesecloth bundle.
19. Working in batches, carefully puree the mixture in a blender.
20. Return the sauce to the pan.
21. If it is very thick, whisk in more of the lamb cooking liquid.
22. Season with salt and pepper.
23. When ready to serve, reheat the lamb shanks in their liquid on top of the stove.
24. Stir the remaining teaspoon of capers into the sauce and reheat if necessary.
25. Place a lamb shank on each of 4 deep plates.
26. Cover with sauce and sprinkle with cilantro.
27. Serve immediately.

canola oil, lamb shanks, kosher salt, garlic, chicken stock, capers, thyme, tarragon, scotch, unsalted butter, onion, celery, green bell pepper, shallots, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, capers, scotch, kosher salt, cilantro

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4994 (may not work)