Recipe Serves 6

Ingredients for lamb shanks:

• 6 American lamb shanks (Colorado, Vermont)1/2 pound pancetta-diced
• 1 C vidalia onion-large diced
• 1 1/4 C carrot-large diced
• 1 1/4 C celery-large diced
• 1 Qt chicken stock
• 2 1/2 C full bodied red wine
• 3 cloves garlic-peeled
• 4-6 sprigs rosemary fresh
• 4-6 sprigs thyme fresh
• 1 D.O.P. 28oz LaValle tomatoes- chopped (you can chop if you can't find)
• 1 tbsp Mutti tomato paste
• 1 C flour
• Sea salt to taste
• Cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 C Grape seed oil

Tools:

Large, wide, heavy pot- will cover 2 burners
Tongs
Patience
Cheesecloth

Instructions:

1. Be sure your pot will accommodate all 6 lamb shanks before
starting. This is crucial. You mustn't crowd your pot.
2. Put the pot on medium heat,and add your pancetta. Let this render
for about 10 minutes, careful not to burn
3. Dredge your shanks in flour lightly
4. Once oil is hot, add your shanks gently, one at a time. Brown then
approximately 12/15 minutes on all sides. If more oil is needed use a
little extra virgin and a little grape seed oil.
5. Once shanks are golden add your onion, cooking for about 3 minutes
or until translucent.
6. Add your carrot and celery, stir for 2/3 minutes.
7. Turn heat to high and once pot is hot add your red wine, now, using
your wooden spoon be sure to scrape all the flavor from the bottom of
pot incorporating into your braise. Cook wine down almost all the way.
8. Add your chicken stock and DOP tomato now, submerging your lamb
shanks almost all the way.
9. Preheat oven to 300 degrees (if you want to use oven because you
need cook top to prepare other dishes.
10. Once liquids come to a boil turn the burner down to low and either
leave on stove for the next 3 hours or put in the oven for the next
2.5 hours. If you choose the oven method be careful to frequently turn
your lamb shanks back into the liquid
11. Wrap the garlic cloves, rosemary and thyme in a piece of
cheesecloth and add to the pot.
12. Once dish finished the meat will be falling off the bone. Serve with the delicious braising liquid, fregola sarda and garnish with rosemary sprig. 

 Buon appetito

Fregola Sarda Risotto

Ingredients:

1 bag medium Fregola Sarda (Sardinian Cous Cous)

1/2 C vidalia onion- diced 

6 cloves garlic- sliced thin

1/2 C grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

1/2 C dry White Wine (pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc)

1/8 C Delitia butter of Parma

1/8 C partanna extra virgin olive oil

2 C chicken stock

1 1/2 C water 

Tools:

Wooden spoon

Wide, heavy bottom pot for Fregola 

Small pot for back burner 

Ladle 

Strong stirring arm

Instructions:

1. On the back burner, mix chicken stock and water and bring to a simmer. 

2. On front burner, heat partanna olive oil to medium heat, once hot add onion. 

3. When onion is translucent add garlic 

4. When garlic is toasted without burning it, add Fregola Sarda. 

5. Fregola is already toasted so no need to sauté too long in oil, just enough to emphasize its aroma, about 2 minutes or so 

6. Now turn heat up to high and add your white wine, cook the wine down all the way. 

7. Add 1/4 of the chicken stock/ water mixture and set to medium/low heat. 

8. Stir until liquid is reduced. 

9. Repeat until Fregola Sarda is al dente  it is ok to have some left over liquid in the pot, it is also ok to have to add a little more liquid. 

10. Once Fregola is al dente, if serving right away add your parmiggiano and Delitia butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve lamb shank on top, pour the braising liquid over the lamb shank and enjoy. 

11. If not serving immediately, once Fregola is al dente turn heat off and transfer to a cookie tray to cool down. 

Once ready to serve add hot liquid until Fregola is hot then add parmiggiano, salt, pepper and Delitia butter. 

Recipe by Barry Proctor