Lamb Shank With Lima Beans In the French Style
- Total Time
- 2 hours 30 minutes plus overnight soaking for the beans
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound dried baby lima beans
- 4small lamb shanks
- 6tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓cup water
- 2medium shallots, chopped
- 4cloves garlic, chopped
- 2tablespoons brandy or grappa
- 2cups good tinned whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 1bay leaf
- 2tablespoons fresh thyme leaf
- 4cups white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1253 calories; 68 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 34 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 73 grams protein; 2075 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
To reconstitute the dried beans, soak them overnight or bring them to a boil in a pan of water, remove from heat, let soak two hours, then drain.
- Step 2
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Step 3
Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large saute pan. Over medium-high heat brown the lamb on all sides, and set aside. Drain the fat, and deglaze the pan with the water. Set the liquid aside.
- Step 4
In a large, heavy ovenproof casserole, saute the chopped shallots in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over a low-medium heat, until translucent. Add garlic; saute for another minute. Add the brandy or grappa and the tomatoes; cook over low heat for five minutes. Add the bay leaf and thyme.
- Step 5
Arrange the lamb in the pan, meatier side down, add the drained beans, add the deglazing liquid from the browning pan, and pour in the wine. Bring slowly to a simmering boil; reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer five minutes.
- Step 6
Cover and bake in the oven for two hours, or cook on top of the stove for two hours, checking periodically that the liquid is at a simmer, not a rolling boil.
- Step 7
Serve one shank to a person with a cup of beans and liquid.
- Don't salt until the lamb and beans have cooked for an hour -- salting the beans at the outset will toughen them. Add pepper before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
Yummy! Hearty, tasty, fragrant. Reminds me slightly of cassoulet, and I would like to serve it in a shallow gratin dish topped with breadcrumbs run under the broiler, for variety, not necessary. Had to make some substitutions due to cooking during Covid: ground lamb rather than lamb shanks, water + chicken stock + splash of red wine vinegar all in place of red wine. Would like to make again as written.
Oh, and shredded the meat off the bones, added back to the sauce and served over egg noodles.
Delicious!! A couple of modifications - in place of the white wine used half red wine (barolo) and half home made chicken broth. Had no brandy so used Irish whiskey. Had only half a pound of dried large limas. They mostly melted into the sauce. For herbs used several thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs tied together along with bay leaf, My lamb shanks were a bit large so took another 45 minutes or so to get to falling off the bone. The sauce was amazing! My husband and I loved it!