It's the season for braising, a cool time of year where cooking something aromatic and rib-sticking is a most welcome activity.
If you've forgotten, braising means to cover and slowly cook food, such as meat, poultry, seafood or vegetables, surrounded by, but not completely submerged in, a flavoured liquid. It's different from stewing, where foods, such as cubes of meat and vegetables, are entirely covered by liquid.
To enhance their colour, braised meats are usually seared before the liquid is added. You can braise foods on the stovetop or in the oven. The latter option is most often used for dishes that will be braised for extended periods. In that environment, there's no need to frequently check to ensure your creation is not scorching on the bottom.
As a dish begins to cook and braise, steam releases from the liquid and does its magic to flavour and tenderize the food. I use the word magic because that's what it feels like when you're able to turn some of the toughest cuts of meat into something wonderfully succulent and tender.
Perhaps the best example of that are lamb shanks and veal shanks. Both are cut from the lower, shin portion of the leg. Because lamb is a smaller animal, lamb shanks are sold as a whole piece of the lower leg with a bone running through the length of it.
Veal is a larger animal and the shanks from it are cut crosswise, creating sliced shank portions with meat surrounding an often marrow-filled bone.
The lower portion of the leg is a hard-working part of the animal, which explains why lamb and veal shanks are very tough cuts. Those cuts, however, are also splendidly gelatinous and rich in flavour, and their tough texture will turn into something falling-off-the-bone-tender and delicious after you braise them a few hours.
When braising lamb and veal shanks, I like to use ingredients that will stand up to and enhance their already rich taste.
In today's lamb recipe, that meant braising the shanks Mediterranean-style with ingredients such as red wine, citrus juice, olives and herbes de Provence. The recipe serves two and would make a fine dinner for a couple celebrating something special, such as Saturday night! You could serve the lamb with a green vegetable, such as beans or asparagus, and couscous, orzo (small rice-shaped pasta) or boiled mini potatoes.
I braised the veal shanks Louisiana-style. That meant seasoning and rubbing the veal before searing with Cajun spice, a palate-awakening blend sold in the bottled herb and spice aisle of most supermarkets.
Once seared and in the cooking vessel, the veal is braised with a tomatoey sauce accented with onion, celery and green bell pepper, a flavouring foundation known in Louisiana as the "holy trinity."
You could serve the veal with rice or, as shown in the photo, with buttermilk mashed potatoes. I would also serve a green vegetable alongside, such as those suggested for the lamb or perhaps some steamed kale or chard.
Lamb and veal shanks are sold fresh or frozen at most stand-alone butcher shops. Lamb shanks are also available at most major supermarkets, while veal shanks are only sold at a few of these outlets. (I saw them at Thrifty Foods.)
If you've bought frozen shanks, the safest way to thaw them is inside a container in the refrigerator. They'll take about 24 hours to thaw. Before searing, pat them dry to remove any excess moisture.
Because supply can sometimes be limited, when buying veal shanks or fresh lamb shanks, I like to call two or more days ahead to make sure the store will have them in stock the day I need them.
LOUISIANA-STYLE VEAL SHANKS
Veal shanks braised, southern-style, with Cajun spice and a Creole-style tomato sauce.
Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: About 2 1 /2 hours Makes: 4 servings
4 veal shanks (about 250 grams each)
1 Tbsp Cajun spice, or to taste
? salt to taste (optional; see method)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 medium green pepper, finely diced
1 large celery rib, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 /2 cup beef stock
1 (14 oz. can) tomato sauce
1 (14 oz. can) diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Season and rub veal with Cajun spice. If the Cajun spice does not contain it, also season veal with salt.
Place the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. (My skillet was 12 inches wide. If you don't have one that large, you may need to cook the veal in batches.) When the skillet is hot, add veal and brown well on both sides. Set veal shanks in a single layer in a large casserole (mine was 14 inches long and 12 inches wide).
Lower the heat under the skillet to medium, add onions, green pepper, celery and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except parsley, and bring to a simmer. Pour the mixture on the veal.
Cover and bake the veal until very tender, about 2 to 2 1 /2 hours. Skim any fat from the surface, then set a veal shank on each of four plates. Top with the sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE LAMB SHANKS WITH OLIVES AND CITRUS FOR TWO
Succulent lamb for two you could serve with a green vegetable, such as beans or asparagus, and couscous, orzo (small rice-shaped pasta) or boiled mini potatoes.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: About 2 1 /2 hours Makes: 2 servings
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lamb shanks (each about 400 grams)
? salt and freshly ground black pepper
to taste 1 /2 onion, diced medium
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 /4 cup red wine
1 /4 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1 /2 tsp herbes de Provence 1
/4 tsp ground coriander seed
1 /8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 /4 to 1 /3 cup pitted dried Moroccan
olives, ni莽ise olives or kalamata olives
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint or parsley
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and then brown well on all sides. Set the shanks in a single layer in a medium-size casserole (mine was about 12 inches long and eight inches wide). Drain all but 2 tsp of fat from the skillet. Lower the heat under the skillet to medium.
Add onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except mint or parsley, and bring to a simmer. Pour mixture over lamb.
Cover and bake the lamb until very tender, about 2 to 2 1 /2 hours.
Skim any fat from the surface, then set a lamb shank on each of two plates. Top with sauce, sprinkle with mint or parsley and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of the just-published hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
