Slowcooker Lamb Shanks with Dried Plums

Wow, time flies when I'm not looking! I knew I had skipped a weekend, but not 2 weekends!

I made this recipe at least two weeks ago, possibly during the first week of May because I know Easter made me think of lamb recipes. I modified this leg of lamb with prunes recipe from A Year of Slowcooking mainly by swapping in lamb shanks and adding more veggies. Even though it was just me, I ate all four servings and didn't freeze a bit!

(Sorry for the terrible pictures)



4 good-sized lamb shanks (Note: they're often sold in packs of 2)
2 carrots, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1.5 c dried plums (prunes), roughly chopped (a few big handfuls)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp cumin
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 c apple juice or white wine

Directions

In a small dish, mix dry spices.

(Optional) Brown lamb shanks in olive oil in a skillet.

Place chopped veggies in the base of the slowcooker. Sprinkle with a small amount of spice mixture, maybe 3/4 tsp.

Rub lamb with remaining spice mixture. Arrange in a circle over veggies. Try not to stack them, if possible.

Toss in prunes and pour in liquid. Add cinnamon stick.

Cook on low for 8 hours or until tender. Mine we perfect after 8 hours of cooking time and several hours on warm because I got home super late from work that day.

Serve with couscous, quinoa, or just some nice crusty bread.

4 servings

Lunch box shot.

Lamb Tagine

This recipe was closely adapted from Southern Living's Slow-Cooker Cookbook. The recipe called for beef consomme and frozen pearl onions, which I didn't have. Thus, I used beef broth and a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste and yellow onions. The recipe wasn't untasty, just lacked a punch. If I try it again, I would up the spices and maybe add some cumin or something with heat. The dish thickened up nicely, so I did not add any flour at the end. As for a side, the recipe recommended serving with couscous, but I served it with some quinoa. (recipe at the end)



1.5 lbs boneless leg of lamb, cubed
2 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp saffron threads, crushed
10.5 oz beef broth, mixed with 2 Tbs tomato paste
1 med onion, chopped
1/2 c prunes, cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper the lamb cubes and brown in a skillet coated with olive oil. Drain and add to slowcooker.

Whisk together honey - broth mixture. Pour over meat. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Add onions and prunes, cook another 2 hours until tender.

Serves 4.

Quinoa
1 c uncooked quinoa
2 med carrots, chopped
1/2 med onion, chopped
2 c chicken broth

Saute carrots and onion in olive oil until tender and beginning to brown. Combine all other ingredients with carrot/onion mixure and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 25 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed.

Braised lamb with wine tomato reduction

This recipe appeared December 2009's Cooking Light. The only changes I made was to use plain tomatoes (the recipe called for pre-seasoned) and substitute dry parsley for fresh. This was the easiest way I've ever cooked lamb and my first ever lamb shank.


4 (12 oz) lamb shanks
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 dry red wine
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried parsley
salt, pepper, and olive oil

In a large dutch oven, salt and pepper lamb and brown in oil over medium high heat, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pot.

Add the garlic to the pan, cook for 15 seconds (it will immediately sizzle and start to brown/burn). Add the wine; cook for 2 minutes while scrapping the bottom of the pot. Stir in tomatoes and cook for another few minutes.

Return lamb to pot; cover and reduce heat; and simmer for 1 hour over low. Turn lamb over and cook for another 1-1.5 hours until meat is tender (My lamb shanks were huge, so it took nearly 3 hrs).

Remove lamb from pan and loosely cover with foil. Bring wine/tomato mixture to a boil and cook until reduced (about 10 minutes). Season with salt, pepper, and parsley. Return lamb to pot and cook another few minutes until lamb is heated.

Serve with sauce.

Leg of Lamb with Herbs and Mustard

2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground bay leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4-pound) rolled boneless leg of lamb
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
6 rosemary sprigs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup low-salt beef broth

Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Unroll roast; trim fat. Reroll roast; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine. Cut 10 (1/2-inch-deep) slits in surface of roast; stuff thyme mixture into slits. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Brush mustard over roast. Cover and chill 12 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Arrange 3 rosemary sprigs crosswise on the rack of a broiler pan, and top with roast. Arrange 3 additional rosemary sprigs on top of roast. Bake at 425° for 50 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145° (medium-rare) or desired degree of doneness. Discard rosemary. Let roast stand 20 minutes before slicing.

Combine water and broth; add to broiler pan. Cook over medium heat; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 4 minutes or until mixture measures 1/2 cup; stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Slice roast; serve with sauce.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces lamb and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Sunday Cooking

As you know, instead of resting yesterday I spent at least 6 hours online reading random blogs. Several featured recipes that got me thinking about cooking with my slow cooker and cooking in general, I guess. Despite the long list of things that I should be doing today, I decided to cook up a storm and have planned more big meals throughout the week. Cooking a different meal each day was also something I hadn't thought of in awhile and was reminded by the various whacko homemaker blogs that I'm also reading for whatever reason. Anyway, here's the list of what I have made today and hope to make later this week:

1. Sticky chicken with mango cumin couscous
- This recipe came from the December 2008 BBC Good Food Magazine. As you can see I made so many modifications that it made sense to rewrite the recipe, but my product is still similar to what's pictured. Today, because I didn't feel like making couscous, after tossing the mango with the cumin and rice wine vinegar, I added a little chicken stock, brought it to a boil, and tossed some cooked jasmine rice that I had on hand. I made this for lunch and have two portions left over.

2. Slow Cooker North Woods Turkey Wild Rice Soup
- This is simmering in the crockpot as I type. I used lefter turkey from Xmas that I had in the freezer.
Edited to add: This turned out a lot thicker than I had expected. Though it may have been partially because I didn't measure to wild rice, just eye-balled it, I added about 2 cups more chicken broth than the recipe called for and it was still very thing. Good, but thick.

3. Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions
- This will be made in the oven as soon as I rest for a bit and read the paper, hopefully for dinner this evening, although my turkey wild rice soup will also be done around the same time.
Edited to add: I cooked a smaller roast (<3 lbs) for about 2.5 hours and it was perfect. The coffee braising gives it almost a chocolate-like flavor. I can't wait to have this tomorrow night.

4. Irish Lamb Stew
- I will make this stew also using my slow cooker once I go to Trader Joe's later this week for boneless leg of lamb. This is what I had hoped to make this weekend in honor of St. Patrick's Day, but I didn't feel up to it.

5. Bread from scratch, maybe sourdough. I watched a number of how-tos on YouTube, including this one, but I think I'll try something that starts with yeast rather than trying to grow it naturally. I may try this one from good 'ole Emeril as it sounds straightforward enough. I bought an extra-large bag of flour today!

6. Kalua pig, also in the crockpot. The recipe is simply to make: Cook about 4 lbs of pork in the slow cooker with a tablespoon of liquid smoke for 8-10 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork. After shredding, salt liberally with sea salt or something more flavorful than table salt.
- I bought a pork shoulder today at the market when I couldn't find the leg of lamb. I may make this Wednesday or Thursday, or pot it in the freezer.