BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Serves 8-10
Braised Lamb Shanks: Season lamb heavily with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan, sear meat on flat top until you have achieved a nice golden brown. Remove meat from pan, set aside, and allow to cool.
Braising Liquid
6 quarts beef stock
2 quarts blended 74/40 canned tomato
8 jumbo yellow onions
Sachet
Make a sachet out of cheesecloth, fill it with herbs, and tie together with butcher’s twine.
2 T black peppercorn
2 T yellow mustard seed
2 T fennel seed
1 T clove
2 pieces whole nutmeg (crushed)
2 cinnamon sticks (crushed)
½ bunch thyme, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
5 bay leaves
3-4 sprigs rosemary
2-4 heads garlic
Directions: Preheat oven to 280-degrees. In a bowl, blend stock, and tomato together and season heavily with salt. Meanwhile, chop onions to a large dice and sauté in a pan until browned. Set aside. Place lamb shanks back in the pan with seasoning sachet. Place onions over shanks, then add liquid. Cook for 3 hours or longer, on low heat in oven, covered in foil with crimped edges, until meat is tender. Serve with creamy polenta.
Creamy Polenta
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups heavy cream or half & half
½ stick butter
2 cups yellow polenta
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Bring chicken stock, and cream to a boil and add the polenta. Stir constantly for thirty minutes. When polenta is soft, add parmesan and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6 quarts beef stock
2 quarts blended 74/40 canned tomato
8 jumbo yellow onions
Sachet
Make a sachet out of cheesecloth, fill it with herbs, and tie together with butcher’s twine.
2 T black peppercorn
2 T yellow mustard seed
2 T fennel seed
1 T clove
2 pieces whole nutmeg (crushed)
2 cinnamon sticks (crushed)
½ bunch thyme, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
5 bay leaves
3-4 sprigs rosemary
2-4 heads garlic
Directions: Preheat oven to 280-degrees. In a bowl, blend stock, and tomato together and season heavily with salt. Meanwhile, chop onions to a large dice and sauté in a pan until browned. Set aside. Place lamb shanks back in the pan with seasoning sachet. Place onions over shanks, then add liquid. Cook for 3 hours or longer, on low heat in oven, covered in foil with crimped edges, until meat is tender. Serve with creamy polenta.
Creamy Polenta
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups heavy cream or half & half
½ stick butter
2 cups yellow polenta
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: Bring chicken stock, and cream to a boil and add the polenta. Stir constantly for thirty minutes. When polenta is soft, add parmesan and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.