Last Night's Dinner

I've never been a big fan of lamb, but I've always wanted to like it. What I'm figuring out is that I might not enjoy the taste of lamb straight up, but with the right spices and flavors it can be pretty delicious. It has such a rich, meaty flavor which, if allowed to run amok can result in something that tastes like it's been hanging out in a sweaty coal-miner's armpit for three days. Tantalizing, no? However, if you can rein in that lamb funk and tame it into submission, the result is a deeply-flavored, soul-satisfying meaty feast. It's worth the trouble. First, I chopped up a lot of fresh herbs and threw them on a plate with plenty of fresh garlic, salt and pepper. I rolled the lamb shanks in the mixture, then seared them off in hot olive oil and butter. When they were brown on all sides, I added a thinly sliced yellow onion to the pot, then some more garlic, diced tomatoes, white wine, red wine, and vermouth. I let it simmer on the stove for about 45 minutes, then tossed the whole pan in the oven for an hour and a half. When the lamb had about 40 minutes left in the oven, I threw in a pan of onions, carrots and parsnips. I used the 40 minutes to make polenta on the stove, and when it was all done I made everything cozy in a nice bowl and covered everyone with fresh parsley and lots of parmesan. The whole house smelled amazing, like Thanksgiving dinner had gone to Greece and Italy and gotten a sexy makeover(not that there's anything wrong with Thanksgiving dinner, I'm just saying). I liked it, but I feel like there was a spice missing. Aaron and Tristan said no and Trevor licked the pot clean, but I'd like to make it again and add some coriander and- I know this sounds crazy- nutmeg. People tend to associate nutmeg with sweet things like pumpkin pie, but I've used it with meat before and it gives a delicious-yet-subtle flavor; it doesn't taste sweet at all, just gives the meat a nice warmth and a little lift on the aftertaste. It cleans it up somehow while still keeping it savory. Drunken Lamb Shanks Serves 4 For the lamb: 3-4 lamb shanks, trimmed of fat and white covering(I used 3 large shanks and it fed 4) 1 TBS chopped fresh rosemary 1TBS chopped fresh oregano 1 TBS chopped fresh thyme 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper 1 can plain(no herbs) diced tomatoes, drained 3/4 cup white wine 3/4 cupred wine 1/4 cup vermouth salt and pepper Place herbs, garlic, salt and pepper on a plate and toss together with a fork. Roll trimmed lamb shanks in mixture, pressing the herbs into the meat to coat generously. Heat a deep, oven-proof pot on medium-high and add 2 TBS of olive oil and 1 TBS of butter. When the oil and butter are hot, sear the lamb shanks to brown on all sides. Lay them in the hot oil/butter and DO NOT MOVE THEM FOR 1 WHOLE MINUTE before turning. You won't brown them if you move them around, you have to let them wallow in the hot fat. The only time you should touch them is when they're ready to be turned, at which point touch them only enough to turn them over and then leave them alone again. Browning meat likes its space. When the lamb is browned on all sides(which should take 4-5 minutes) add the onion. Let the onion cook with the lamb for 3-5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. The thinner you slice the onion, the sooner this will happen. When the onions are soft, add 2 cloves crushed garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Then add the tomatoes, white and red wine, and the vermouth. Feel free to experiment with different wines, use all red or all white, skip the vermouth, add extra, use stock instead of wine...you want to end up with roughly 2 cups of liquid in your pot. Season with salt and pepper. Put a lid on the pot and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer 45 minutes, turning and basting the shanks with the broth every ten minutes so any exposed meat doesn't dry out. After 45 minutes, cover the pot with foil(use oven mits) and place in preheated 350-degree oven for an hour. After an hour remove the foil, spoon more broth over the shanks and place back in over for additional 40 minutes. If you are roasting any vegetables, put them in the oven(in their own dish) at this point. Use anything you like, but carrots were especially tasty with the lamb. My picture shows the onions whole, but I'd quarter them for faster, uniform cooking. Toss vegetables with salt, pepper and olive oil. Creamy Polenta Polenta is a delicious whole-grain starch that is often overlooked but is very easy to make and can be used as a base much the same way you would use mashed potatoes, pasta or rice. Polenta is just a fancy name for cornmeal. You can use fine or coarse; finer cornmeal will yield a smoother texture, but I like the rustic feel of the coarse. You can find it in the bulk foods section, or just buy a box of yellow cornmeal in the baking aisle. If using boxed, make sure it is plain cornmeal and not cornbread mix; this will have other ingredients in it(like baking soda) that you don't want in your polenta. You can use stock, water, or a mixture of white wine and water to cook your polenta. I used all chicken stock. If using wine, use only 1 cup white wine and the other 3 cups water or stock or the flavor will be too strong. 1/2 yellow onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed 1 1/3 cups white or yellow cornmeal 4 cups stock or water 1/2 cup grated Parmesan In a sauce pan or high-rimmed skillet, cook the onion until soft with a little olive oil and butter. When the onion is soft, add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add the cornmeal all at once. Stir to combine. Add the stock or whatever liquid you're using. You can add it all at once or a little at a time, like a risotto. Either way, stir every few minutes to avoid lumps until the cornmeal is tender, 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in grated Parmesan. To serve, spoon a bed of polenta onto a plate or wide, shallow salad bowl. Place a lamb shank on top, put some roasted vegetables next to the polenta and lamb, then ladle broth from the lamb on top. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary. This is the sort of meal that will make a man love you, so be careful who you serve it to. Or at least be prepared.