Ingredients

4 Lamb shanks

Sea salt & black pepper

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Virgin olive oil

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

2 celery stalks. Chopped

2 leeks, cleaned and sliced

2 shallots, peeled and minced

750 mL Crispin The Saint - Artisanal Reserve, Cloudy Hard Cider, with apple wine fermented using Belgian Trappist beer yeasts, and smoothed with organic maple syrup.

3 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

½ cup dried figs, stem removed and quartered

1 teaspoon whole coriander

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

Preparation

  • Wash each lamb shank under cold water to remove any blood or fat. Pat dry
  • Sprinkle each with salt, liberal black pepper, and flour. Coat evenly on all sides
  • Place in a heavy cooking pot or large sauté pan over medium heat: add olive oil to coat pan, and 2 lamb shanks. - Brown evenly on all 4 sides, about 4 minutes per side
  • Remove and repeat with remaining shanks and set aside on a plate
  • Add more oil to the pan if needed
  • Add carrots, leeks, shallots and cook until vegetables are slightly browned, about 8 minutes.
  • Deglaze the pan with The Saint hard cider, then chicken stock, removing any of the food with a wooden spoon.
  • Add thyme, figs, coriander, cloves and cinnamon stick, mixing well.

Preheat oven to 300F.

  • Add Lamb shanks back in the pot, submerge into vegetables.
  • Bring the whole mixture to a low simmer.
  • Turn off the stove, cover the pot and place into the middle of the oven for 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender, and almost falling off the bone.

Sauce Preparation:

  • Carefully remove lamb shanks and place on a large plate
  • Cover with foil to keep warm
  • Using a strainer, remove the vegetables and whole seasonings from the stock/cider and place remaining liquid in to a saucepan over low heat
  • Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, adjust seasonings to taste
  • Serve shanks over a celery root puree with sauce poured on top