Baked Baby Lamb Shanks

Name: Baked Baby Lamb Shanks
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 4 pounds very small lamb shanks, preferably no larger than about ½ pound each (see note); 1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil; ½ teaspoon mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 cup finely chopped carrot; 1 ½ cups finely chopped onion; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 slice fresh ginger, minced; 2 cups finely chopped ripe plum tomatoes (or drained canned plum tomatoes); 2 cups dry white wine; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons minced parsley

By Florence Fabricant

Published March 15, 1983

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Rating: 3(11)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: TIME FOR SPRING LAMB, BUT DOES IT EXIST OR NOT?

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

4 pounds very small lamb shanks, preferably no larger than about ½ pound each (see note)
1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1 ½ cups finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 slice fresh ginger, minced
2 cups finely chopped ripe plum tomatoes (or drained canned plum tomatoes)
2 cups dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Select baking dish large enough to hold shanks in single layer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2
Heat oil in large skillet. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook over medium heat until seeds begin to dance in oil. Add as many shanks as will fit comfortably in skillet and lightly brown on all sides. Transfer shanks to baking dish as they are browned.
Step 3
Saute carrot and onion in skillet over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and ginger and continue to saute a few minutes longer. Add tomatoes and wine, bring to simmer, stirring, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour mixture over lamb shanks in baking dish. There should be about inch of sauce in dish.
Step 4
Place baking dish in oven and bake uncovered for about 1 hour 20 minutes, turning and basting every 15 minutes. If sauce in baking dish begins to reduce too much, add a little water or more wine.
Step 5
Just before serving sprinkle with parsley.

Tip

If you can get the very small lamb shanks you should be able to figure 1 to 2 shanks per person. With larger shanks, a whole one may be too much for some people so have butcher crack bone so they can be divided.