Braised Lamb Shank With Three Bean Ragout

Next Day:
Braised Lamb and Goat Cheese Sliders using Leftover Shanks Meat

Servings:
4 of each recipe (lamb shank recipe is doubled to prepare/reserve half of shanks for sliders)

8 lamb fore shanks
2 cup diced onions
2 cup diced carrots
2 cup diced celery
10 cloves of garlic
6 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
½ cup chile powder
2 cup white wine
4 bay leaves
4T butter
2 cup flour
2 T salt
2 T black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
8 cups stock

Three Bean Ragout:
3/4 cups white beans
3/4 cups black beans
3/4 Canelini beans
½ pound bacon, chopped
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
8 cloves garlic, sliced
3 jalapenos, diced
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Mix flour, chile powder, salt, and pepper together. Roll the shanks in this flour mixture.
3. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. In batches, sear shanks on all sides to brown; remove from pan. Repeat process adding more oil as needed.
4. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté to brown. Add wine, stock, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
5. Arrange shanks in three 13x9x2” baking pans, placing four shanks in each pan. Divide vegetable mixture in Dutch oven between the three baking pans, pouring over the shanks.
6. Cover with foil and place in oven for 2-1/2 hours, turning the shanks half way through. The meat should be very tender but still on the bone. Remove shanks and keep warm.
7. Strain sauce and reduce by half. Add butter. Stir until melted.
8. Serve 4 shanks with Three-Bean Ragout and a little pan sauce.
9. Pull lamb meat from remaining four shanks and reserve for sliders.

For Three Bean Ragout: Put all beans in a large pot and cover with cold water. Put a lid on this pan and let beans soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain beans and return to pot, adding bacon, thyme, oregano, stock, garlic, and jalapenos. Cover with water. Bring to a boil for 2 hours, adding water as necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

For the Sliders:
Pulled meat from 4 shanks prepared in advance (see above recipe preparation)
4 oz. goat cheese
1 cup fresh flat leaf spinach or arugula
silver dollar rolls

Mix warmed pulled lamb shank meat with goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Place meet and cheese mixture on warm roll and top with a few pieces of spinach or arugula.