Friday, March 24, 2006

Braised Beef Shanks

This was supposed to be my IMBB post. I went to Whole Foods (Whole PayCheque) fully intending to buy ingredients for a 30 minute meal. Somehow, I walked out with two beef shanks, some golden beets, two potatoes and the tiniest portion of goat cheese I have ever seen.
Obviously, with beef shanks, there will be no magical 30 minute meal transformation....but they were so good. Totally worth blowing off IMBB for. I would do it tomorrow or Sunday, but we are headed to the island.
Without further ado, Braised Beef Shanks, Mashed Potatoes and Golden Beet Salad with goat cheese and a Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette


Braised Beef Shanks
The flavours in this were born out of a clean out the fridge moment.

2 beef shanks
salt
two stalks celery, chopped
1 shallot, diced
3 cloves garlic
1/2 bunch rosemary
1/2 bunch thyme
1 28 oz can plum tomatoes
1/4 cup red vermouth
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 anchovie fillets.

Preheat oven to 275F.
Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Season and sear shanks about 3 minutes per side and set aside. Add celery, shallot & garlic to pan.Add salt & saute lightly. Deglaze with vermouth, stir in tomatoes and return shanks to the pan. Add the herbs, olives and anchovies, cover and palce in the oven for 3-4hrs.

Before serving, I removed the shanks from the pan and strained the cooking liquid into a fat separator. I used that as the sauce.

2 comments:

Michelle said...

Hi Linda,
This sounds fabulous...I love the taste of beef shanks, but I am still trying to get up the nerve to make them myself(something about finding out what shanks were freaked me out)!

Unknown said...

michelle, go for it. I really enjoyed them and having had veal as well, I will pick beef every time (and not just because of the ethical ramifications).