Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [48]
3. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy roasting pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and brown on the fat side. (If the shank is still attached, there may be patches that won’t brown; don’t worry.) Turn the lamb and brown as well as you can on the bone side. Transfer the lamb to a plate. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add enough wine to the strained tomato juice to make 2 cups (500 ml), then pour into the pan. Bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
4. Add the stock, garlic cloves, and basil sprigs, then return the lamb to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover the lamb with a damp piece of parchment paper and then aluminum foil, and braise in the oven for 1½ hours.
5. While the lamb is cooking, broil or grill the peppers, turning frequently, until their skins are well blackened. Place them in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave until they are cool enough to handle.
6. Cut the eggplants into large chunks, about 1 x 1½ inches (2.5 x 4 cm) and place in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt, toss to coat, and let stand for 20 minutes.
7. Peel and seed the cooled peppers, working over a bowl to catch any juices. Cut them into large chunks about the same size as the tomatoes. Strain the liquid from the peppers through a sieve and reserve. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry.
8. After 1½ hours, remove the lamb from the oven and baste with the cooking liquid. Add the tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, cover, and cook for another 1 hour, stirring halfway through.
9. Cut the zucchini into “X-inch (i-cm) slices. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and add the zucchini slices to the pan, stirring them into the vegetables. Cook, uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the lamb is golden brown and the lamb and vegetables are tender.
10. Transfer the lamb to a warmed serving platter. Skim off any fat from the sauce and vegetables and check the seasoning and stir in the basil leaves. Carve the lamb into thick slices, and serve accompanied by the vegetables and sauce.
Lancashire Hot Pot Revisited
When I saw the photograph of this recipe in a cookbook, I knew I just had to try it. There was a deep dish covered with a crust of golden potatoes. Piercing the crunchy topping were long, thin bones reaching skyward. As I researched the recipe, I discovered that the original dish used chops from Pennine sheep, a British breed known for its long rib bones. Older recipes for the dish often include oysters, then plentiful and cheap. I’ve omitted the oysters, as I don’t like the idea of cooking oysters for two hours.
After several attempts, though, I gave up the idea of bones bursting through the potatoes. It didn’t work with bones of regular length. I also switched to shoulder chops, which have more fat and flavor and are better suited to slow cooking. The French have a version of this recipe called Champvallon. It is named after a mistress of Louis XIV who won his favor by cooking him this dish.
4 medium turnips, peeled and sliced
5 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 onions, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk with leaves, diced
1¼ cups (310 ml) Lamb Stock (page 95)
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup (30 g) flour
8 lamb shoulder chops
1 tablespoon sweet vermouth
4 potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter for the foil
1. Arrange the turnips in the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the lamb chops in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Set aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 7 to