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Restaurants›Le Boeuf French-Italian Restaurant & Wine›Lamb Shank Stew Recipe

Lamb Shank Stew Recipe

Name: Le Boeuf French-Italian Restaurant & Wines Lamb Shank Stew Recipe
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 4 pieces lamb shanks; 3 tbS olive oil; 1 tbS unsalted butter; 2 tbS all-purpose flour; 2 pieces carrot (large), roughly chopped; 1 pieces yellow onion, roughly chopped; 2 pieces celery stalks, roughly chopped; 4 pieces garlic cloves, smashed; 2 tbS tomato paste; 2 cups dry red wine; 4 cups beef or lamb stock; 1 cups water; 2 pieces bay leaves; 3 pieces fresh thyme sprigs; 1 pieces fresh rosemary sprig; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 1 lb baby potatoes (halved) or Yukon Gold, medium; 12 pieces pearl onions, peeled (optional); 2 pieces carrots (small), cut on bias (if adding); 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes; 6 tbS unsalted butter (cold, cubed); 1 cups whole milk or half-and-half (warmed); 0.5 cups heavy cream (optional, warmed); 1 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp white pepper or black pepper; 2 tbS fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tsp lemon zest (optional); 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Inspired by Le Boeuf French-Italian Restaurant & Wine

Time4h

Serves4

A Served Rich and with Flavorful Potatoes French puree a Lamb sauce Stew slow simmered – cooked from the with stew Red wine water until reduced to about one – tenth

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Ingredients

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Lamb and braising liquid

4 pieces lamb shanks

3 tbS olive oil

1 tbS Unsalted butter

2 tbS 00 bread flour

2 pieces carrot (large), roughly chopped

1 pieces yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 pieces celery stalks, roughly chopped

4 pieces garlic cloves, smashed

2 tbS tomato paste

2 cups dry red wine

4 cups beef or lamb stock

1 cups water

2 pieces bay leaves

3 pieces fresh thyme sprigs

1 pieces fresh rosemary sprig

2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

Vegetables for stew (optional garnish)

1 lb baby potatoes (halved) or Yukon Gold, medium

12 pieces pearl onions, peeled (optional)

2 pieces carrots (small), cut on bias (if adding)

Potato purée (French-style)

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

6 tbS unsalted butter (cold, cubed)

1 cups whole milk or half-and-half (warmed)

1/2 cups heavy cream (optional, warmed)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp white pepper or black pepper

Finishing and garnish

2 tbS Fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Lamb and braising liquid

Preheat and season

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 1/2 tsp of the salt and 3/4 tsp of the pepper.

Brown the shanks

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. When hot, brown the shanks in batches (about 6–8 minutes per side) until deeply browned. Transfer browned shanks to a plate.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil if needed. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add smashed garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Deglaze and build sauce

Stir in tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 4–6 minutes to reduce slightly.

Add stock and herbs

Return lamb shanks to the pot. Add beef or lamb stock and 1 cup water (or more if needed to mostly cover shanks). Add bay leaves, thyme sprigs, rosemary, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bring liquid to a gentle simmer on the stove.

Oven braise

Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until meat is very tender and nearly falling from the bone, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Check once after 1.5 hours to ensure liquid is gently simmering; add a splash of water or stock if it’s evaporating too quickly.

Reduce sauce (optional concentration)

When shanks are tender, carefully transfer the shanks to a baking dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Discard solids and return liquid to medium-high heat. Reduce until glossy and concentrated—target approximately one-tenth of the original volume if you desire an intensely reduced sauce; otherwise reduce to a sauce consistency, about 15–30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Vegetables for stew (optional garnish)

If using baby potatoes and pearl onions: while the shanks braise, parboil baby potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes until nearly tender, drain and set aside. In the last 30–40 minutes of braising, add the parboiled potatoes, pearl onions and sliced carrots to the braising pot so they finish cooking in the sauce and absorb flavor. Alternatively, roast the potatoes separately with oil, salt and pepper until golden and serve alongside the shanks.

Potato purée (French-style)

Cook potatoes

Place peeled cubed potatoes in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 15–20 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander.

Rice or pass

For the silkiest ‘French’ purée, press the hot potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer back into the warm pot. If using a masher, mash until very smooth.

Finish purée

Over low heat, incorporate the cold cubed butter a few pieces at a time, stirring constantly until fully incorporated and glossy. Gradually blend in warmed milk and optional cream until desired texture is reached. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white or black pepper. Keep warm until serving.

Finishing and plating

To plate, spoon a generous portion of potato purée onto each warm plate, creating a shallow well. Place a lamb shank on top or beside the purée. Spoon several tablespoons of the reduced braising sauce over the lamb and around the purée.

Scatter the optional cooked baby potatoes or pearl onions around the plate if used. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a small pinch of lemon zest for brightness.

Serve immediately, passing any extra sauce at the table.