A Hint of Autumn: Braised Lamb Shanks with Red Wine and Herbes de Provence

I love the fall, especially here in Indianapolis, where the leaves really do change color and take my breath away with their fiery beauty.  There’s always a tinge of melancholy, though, knowing that a long cold winter is just around the corner.  This weekend we went from nearly 100 degrees on Saturday to the mid-50’s on Sunday night.  Derek and I went to see The Romantics at Rib Fest on Sunday evening and then went to a lovely little Italian restaurant with outdoor seating for dinner: Linguine con le Vongole for me, and Lasagna for Derek, preceded by Calamari that we shared.  It was a lovely evening and seeing The Romantics brought me back to the wilder days of my youth.  We never eat the ribs at Rib Fest anymore, because I’m totally spoiled by the way Derek makes them.  After the concert, we drove up to an area of town called Broad Ripple, which is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Indianapolis; there are lots of restaurants and quaint shops overlooking the canal, and I knew we’d find somewhere we could eat al fresco.  It was delightful, but toward the end of our meal, it was becoming too chilly to stay outside! 

Braised Lamb Shanks with carrots

During the fall, in order to keep the melancholy moments at bay, I try to take advantage of the weather by cooking things that I wouldn’t consider in the hot months of summer.  It’s finally cool enough to turn the oven on, so tonight I’m making braised lamb shanks with red wine and Herbes de Provence.  I use Cook’s Illustrated as a guide for quantities, but it’s a very simple dish.  You just brown the shanks on all sides in a dutch oven or roasting pan, remove them when they’re browned, add onion, carrots and celery and cook until tender.  Then add garlic and Herbes de Provence and cook until fragrant.  Mix in a spoonful of tomato paste and cook for a minute or so.  Add some chicken broth and red wine, scraping up the bits from the bottom and bring to a simmer.  You could use beef broth if you don’t have chicken broth, but it’s heavier and can sometimes be overpowering.  Add the lamb shanks, cover, and cook in a 350 degree oven for about an hour and a half, or less if the shanks are small.  Turn the shanks over and cook for another 30 minutes or so until the shanks are browned on the other side and the meat is falling off of the bone.  There are two really important things to remember when braising meats.  First of all, put just enough liquid for it to come about halfway up the shanks.  You don’t want to boil them!  Two, let the meat rest for 15 minutes or so before serving.  This dish is delicious with boiled or roasted new potatoes, some good chunky bread and a green salad; it’s a very simple hearty dish with loads of flavor.  We even made this once when we were camping! 

Roasted Potatoes

It’s in the oven now, creating mouth-watering aromas through the house, and I imagine, outside, too, since the windows are open.  Tonight I’m serving the lamb with my olive-oil roasted potatoes and salad.  Bon Apetit!