Ingredients
2 cups white wine, preferably gewürztraminer1 1⁄4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄3 cup coriander seeds
3 tbsp. fennel seeds
2 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
10 cloves garlic (8 whole, 2 halved)
4 cinnamon sticks, halved
4 green cardamom pods
6 carrots, peeled (4 thinly sliced, 2 cut into 1'-thick
rounds)
3 ribs celery (2 thinly sliced crosswise, 1 quartered)
3 medium yellow onions (2 thinly sliced, 1 halved)
1 3' piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced, ends discarded
4 1-lb. lamb shanks, trimmed and frenched
3 tbsp. canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 cups chicken stock
1 1⁄2 cups French green lentils (lentilles vertes du Puy)
4 whole cloves
4 slices smoked bacon, quartered
1 delicata or acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into
1⁄4' cubes
2 bosc pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1⁄4' cubes
3 plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and cut into 1⁄4' cubes
1 tbsp. thinly sliced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1. Combine wine, 1 cup of the olive oil, coriander, fennel, peppercorns, pepper flakes, whole garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, sliced carrots, sliced celery, sliced onions, ginger, and oranges in a bowl. Add lamb; toss to coat. Divide between 2 large sealable plastic bags and let marinate in the refrigerator for 3648 hours.
2. Heat oven to 300°. Remove lamb from marinade. Scrape off any marinade that clings to lamb; reserve marinade. Heat canola oil in a wide pot over medium-high heat. Season lamb all over with salt and pepper. Brown the lamb, turning occasionally, 1214 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate. Add reserved marinade; cook, scraping up browned bits, 23 minutes. Add lamb and stock; boil. Cover pot with foil; braise in oven until tender, about 2 1⁄2 hours. Remove from oven; let cool for 20 minutes. Transfer lamb to a bowl; set aside. Strain broth, discarding solids; skim off and discard fat. Reserve lamb and broth.
3. Put lentils and 2 cups water into a pot. Bring to a boil; drain and rinse lentils and return to pot. Press cloves into onion halves; add to pot with remaining garlic, carrots, celery, and bacon. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until tender, 2530 minutes. Discard all aromatics and return lentils to pot with squash and 2 1⁄2 cups lamb broth; cook over medium heat until squash is tender, 45 minutes. Add pears; cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, parsley, and chives; cook until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute more. Season the lentil mixture with salt and pepper. (Reduce any remaining lamb broth slightly over medium heat.) Divide lentils between 4 large bowls and top with lamb shanks. Drizzle with reduced broth and remaining 1⁄4 cup of olive oil.
SERVES 4
This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #105
Description
The Lentils In This Dish Are Simmered With Clove?a Traditional French Flavoring For Legumes.
Saveur
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