Take-a-Hike Lamb Shanks
with mint and garlic gremolata

(one 6" lamb shank per person)

The long and slow oven-braising used in this recipe makes it ideal for a Sunday supper when you don't plan to be home to cook and can set your oven on a timer to start while you're away. We assembled the lamb shanks in a ceramic braising dish at 9:30 AM, set the oven to start at 3:30 PM, went out for an all-day hike and came home at to a kitchen filled with wonderful aromas and a dinner awaiting our arrival. The meaty lamb shank morsels seemed particularly welcomed after a day of sun and wind, hiking along the Point Reyes coast.

Preparation:

• Wash and dry the lamb shanks. Brown them in a cast iron skillet coated with a little olive oil. Turn frequently so all sides brown evenly.

• While the shanks are browning, peel 6-8 whole garlic cloves and toss them into the same skillet until they are nutty brown.

• Slice one large yellow onion into 1/4" -1/2" thick rounds, keeping the rounds in intact.

• Wash a small bunch of fresh thyme, marjoram or summer savory.

• Select a deep ceramic braising dish (with a tight fitting lid) just large enough to hold all the lamb shanks in one layer without overlapping.

• Line the bottom of the dish with the sliced onions in one layer and the fresh herbs on top of the onions.

• Arrange the browned lamb shanks on top of the onion-herb layer, season with salt and pepper and cover the braising dish with its tight fitting lid.

• Place in the oven on the middle rack and set your oven on Time Bake at 300°. If you plan to sit down for dinner at 7:30 PM, set the timer to start the oven at 3:30 PM. (Braising should take about 4 hours.)

Serving:

• Prepare any assortment of roasted vegetables (potatoes, summer squash, zucchini, carrots, etc.) by roasting them in a flat ceramic casserole dish in a 450° oven until tender.

• In a mini-chopper, finely chop 3-4 cloves peeled garlic with 6-8 leaves of fresh mint. (Vary the proportions to your taste. We like ours garlicky!)

• Place the braised lamb shanks on one side of your warmed bouillabaisse bowls and arrange the roasted vegetables around the shanks. Sprinkle the shanks with the mint-garlic gremolata and enjoy an effortless Sunday Supper!

Notes:

• Onion-Herb Layer: These vegetables at the bottom of the braising dish imbue the shanks with aroma, provide a little moisture during cooking and also serve as a fat-catching rack. You'll find that lamb shanks contain quite a bit of fat that melts away through slow braising. The onion-herb layer, which are discarded after cooking, absorbs this fat and keeps the shanks suspended above it.

• Roasting: Before roasting, coat the vegetables with olive oil and sea salt. Roasting time will vary depending on the types of vegetables you select. Allot about 15-20 minutes for most small vegetables and 20-30 minutes for small potatoes.