Tender, braised Greek lamb shanks with traditional lemon egg sauce and wilted greens are perfect cold weather comfort food.
It’s braising weather! Finally cool enough to let the oven run all day long. I seriously love when my house smells like there’s something cooking in the oven. The smells bring back so many memories. Turkey and prime rib immediately take me to Mom’s house on the holidays. But my husband loves braised meat, especially lamb. So he was pretty psyched when I pulled these ginormous lamb shanks out of the freezer to cook on Sunday. Given it’s the first time I’m making them this season, I was going to go with my favorite red wine-braised lamb shanks over creamy polenta (mmmm creamy polenta). But he requested these Greek lamb shanks with lemon egg sauce, known as avgolemono.
This is a pretty easy braise, but does require some effort at the end to finish the sauce. So plan accordingly. This is great for Sunday dinner, but probably not a recipe I’d make for a dinner party given the egg sauce is best made at the end. Serve this with some crusty bread and a light salad and you’re all set! Turn on some football, sit by the fire and enjoy the cooler weather.
- 2 lamb shanks
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup flour
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2½ cups chicken stock
- freshly squeezed juice of 2 medium lemons
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cups light packed fresh greens, such as arugula or escarole
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Sprinkle the lamb shanks with salt, pepper, the coriander and red pepper flakes. Dredge in the flour.
- Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the shanks on all sides then transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the garlic, carrots and leeks. Saute until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Return the meat to the pan.
- Cover and bake until very tender, about 4 hours.
- Remove from oven and transfer shanks to a plate and cover to keep warm. Strain the liquid and set the vegetables aside. Return the liquid to the pan. Whisk in the lemon juice and egg yolks and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the greens and then return the vegetables to the pan along with the shanks. Heat until the greens are wilted.
- To serve, divide the sauce and vegetable mixture among two plates and top each with a lamb shank.
Oh my, I would love this so much. I have only had lamb shanks once in a restaurant, they were amazing so soft and flavorful. I have been meaning to cook some myself ever since, problem is I have never ever seen any to buy around here. It is so difficult to find lamb at all, the shanks or any other parts except legs and shoulders are mission impossible… 🙁
Adina,
If you can get lamb leg, try this recipe: http://whiteplateblankslate.com/lamb-fricassee-artichokes/ – it also has the lemon egg sauce and is delicious with the artichokes. Thanks for stopping by!
Sorry, I cannot agree with the other feedback on the recipe. My wife is the opposite. I cooked as per your instructions and it was absolutely revolting. Got through half the dish, and I had to throw it in the bin, however my wife loved it. She liked the citrus flavour, which I did not. I prefer a more tomato base sauce now.
Revolting seems a a little extreme!