Garlic-Roasted Lamb Shanks

Recipe by: Victoria Wise, Susanna Hoffman | from The Well Filled Tortilla Cookbook

Cookstr

Course: Main Course

Total Time: Under 4 Hours

Skill Level: Moderate

Cost: Moderate

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

We usually think of stewing a lamb shank, as in osso buco. But you can also treat the shank like a mini leg of lamb. It roasts to perfection and produces the same kind of full-flavored morsels that dark meat lovers insist on. As with any roast, plenty of garlic is never out of order.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

4 lamb shanks (9 to 10 pounds)
24 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large red bell peppers
2 cups cooked chick-peas
1½ tablespoons fresh lime Juice
1½ tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
18 corn or 12 flour tortillas, warmed or crisped Just before serving

toppings:

South American Jalapeno-Parsley Salsa
2 cups sour cream

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 475° F.

2. With your fingers, push the garlic slivers into the natural openings in the lamb shanks and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Arrange the lamb shanks and bell peppers in a single layer in 1 or 2 roasting pans. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 350° F and roast until the peppers are soft and the skins are wrinkled, about 1 hour more. Remove the peppers and continue roasting the shanks until the meat is well browned and pulling away from the bones, about 50 minutes more. Remove and let cool enough to handle.

3. When the peppers are cool, use your fingers and a paring knife to peel off the skins. Remove the stems and seeds; cut the peppers into thin strips. Set aside.

4. When the lamb shanks are cool enough to handle, remove the bones and shred the meat.

5. In a bowl, toss the chick-peas with the lime juice, oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

6. To assemble, spread about 1/3 cup of the lamb in the center of a tortilla. Top with bell pepper strips, chick-peas, South American Jalapeño-Parsley Salsa, and sour cream. Fold and serve.

VARIATION

You can sauté the red peppers instead of roasting them. Remove the stems and seeds and cut the peppers into ½-inch-wide strips. Sauté the pepper strips in 1/8 inch of olive oil or peanut oil until quite wilted and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

Editor's Note

Nutritional information is based on 6 servings, 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving, using corn tortillas, 9 pounds of lamb shanks, but does not include South American Jalapeno-Parsley Salsa. For nutritional information on South American Jalapeno-Parsley Salsa, please follow the link above.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Calories 1121kcal (56%)

Calcium 226mg (23%)

Vitamin C 78mg (131%)

Vitamin A 222mcg RAE (7%)

Potassium 2069mg

Magnesium 234mg

Protein 119g

Sugar 6g

Fiber 9g

Total Carbohydrate 60g