Toast: Braising for One (or Two)

Browsing through a library copy of Nigella Lawson's Feast, I came upon her recipe for Roast Lamb for One, which uses a lamb shank, and permits solitary feasting. I too like to make a lamb shank for one, but generally braise mine. It is actually fairly easy to find little roasts and cuts of meat for broiling or searing, which do for one or two people. Little game hens, lambchops, and the like, while expensive, make flavorful, juicy treats when you are in the mood for that sort of thing. Small braising joints are harder to come by. A lamb shank is just right.

Naturally, you can make big quantities of soups, stews, daubes, etc., and reheat them for yourself, or you and your best other. Many braised dishes, are, of course, better the second or third day, and the multiple meals approach saves some cooking time when you are busy. Sometimes, though, it is nice to have a rich braise for your supper, and to regret finishing the last of it, all on the same day. A lamb shank is perfect for this-one per person. In my neck of the woods, they are still don't cost the earth, and they have the lovely gelatinous depth of the more expensive osso buco, oxtails, or short ribs.

Though this dish can certainly be done in the oven, I like to use a slow cooker for the long braise. I can plug it in when I go to work, and come home to good smells. I'm leary of the safety issues involved in leaving an oven on all day at a low temperature, without human oversight. Slow cookers have a certain reputation for cheesiness, but I think they are very handy when used only for what they do best: cooking very slowly and evenly, without any loss of moisture (or any handy sauce reduction, either.) Generally, they have to be supplimented front and back, with stovetop browning and reduction respectively. Therefore, while handy, they are not really especially labor-saving.

I think the crockpot got its bad rep from overwrought product promoters who claimed against all reason that you could stick raw chicken and cans of mushroom soup in a crock pot, and eat the results later. That, of course, won't wash. In any event, the current ones are cheap, come in all sizes, and have removeable crockery innards, which can be heated in an oven,or stuck in the fridge, and can be properly washed. I have a little one and a big one, and used the little one for this. Here you are:

Braised Lamb Shank with Fennel and White Beans

Night before:

dried white beans 2 cups
lamb shanks 1 per person
garlic, peeled and smashed 3 cloves
fresh rosemary 1 branch (or 1 tsp dried)
salt and pepper
fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
lemon, chopped whole-seeds removed 1 small
red port one glug

Put beans in bowl with cold water to cover. Put everything else in a ziplock bag. Moosh bag a bit. Put in fridge.

Next morning:

flour for dredging
olive oil 3 tbsps
red wine 1 cup
chopped carrot one
chopped white part of leek one
fennel bulb, trimmed, cut in half one
balsamic vinegar 2 tbsps

Put beans in pot with more water to cover. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer, and cook until tender. Drain. (If it is a work day, and you don't have time to cook beans, you can use a can of cooked cannelini beans, rinsed and drained, instead)

Turn crock pot to low. Drain marinade into crock pot. Dry lamb shanks and dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in saute pan, and brown lambshanks. Move to crock pot with tongs. Deglaze pan with wine and pour into crockpot. Add everything else, including drained beans. Cover. You can leave the house now.

Later, before supper:

chopped parsley

Pour liquid through a strainer into a degreasing pitcher. Keep solids covered and warm. Pour degreased juices into saucepan, and reduce to desired thickness. Remove rosemary branch from crockpot. Pour juices over, and top with parsley. Serve from little crockery insert.

This is, of course, nice with a green salad and crusty bread. A pear would be fine for dessert. You can vary the seasonings and vegs as you will. But I do like this combo particularly.Sometimes I put pureed roasted eggplant in, too. A few caramelized onions on top wouldn't hurt either, if you feel up to it.

Comments

Hi Lindy,

I just found your blog and spent an hour reading about your food adventures in Pittsburgh and reminiscing about my years at CMU. I love your writing and photography. Thank you so much for letting me relive all those memories. I have to admit that da ‘burg is a tough town for gourmet food, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Strip District, great Indian restaurants, and Frick museum and café.

I am glad to hear that they have good bread now, but I applaud you for making your own. I love to cook, but I am not much of a bread baker. Luckily, however, I am married to a man who has enough patience to keep a bread journal and perfect this tricky art. You might like his notes at http://people.csail.mit.edu/jrennie/bread/journal.html

Cheers,
-Helen

Posted by: Helen Rennie | December 06, 2005 at 04:03 PM