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basque braised lamb shanks with espelette

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Basque Braised Lamb Shanks With Espelette

Inspired by axoa—a traditional Basque stew of braised veal and peppers, flavored with piment d’Espelette—these braised lamb shanks are an ode to my great-grandmother Jeanne-Marie. While I never had the pleasure of meeting her, or experiencing the gustatory delight of eating one of her coursed meals, I grew up listening to my mom tell me stories of those dinners, especially my great-grandmother’s roast lamb (as my mom would say—a thing of beauty!).

Ingredients

  • 4 lamb shanks (about 3 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 2 medium poblano peppers, or one large green bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon piment d’Espelette powder, plus more for garnishing
  • 2 large sprigs of thyme
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 pound boiled waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or red bliss, for serving

Directions

  • Pat the lamb shanks dry. Sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, making sure to season them evenly. Place on a plate or sheet pan and let them come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the peppers. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the skin off the red and poblano peppers, applying gentle pressure while peeling to prevent taking off too much of the flesh (don't worry about getting the peels in the ridges). Halve each pepper, remove the seeds and ribs, and finely dice. Place in a medium bowl and set aside.
  • Heat the oven to 300°F. To start the braise, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and continue to heat for another 15 seconds (heating the pan before adding the oil will prevent the oil from getting scorched). Add the lamb shanks, browning them on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the browned shanks, transfer to a plate and set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add the reserved diced peppers, as well as the onions, garlic, and the remaining ½ tablespoon of kosher salt. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and the onions start to turn translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute. Add the wine and the piment d’Espelette, stir, and continue to cook until most of the alcohol has burned off, about 2 minutes more. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and water, stirring to combine. Nestle the browned lamb shanks into the braising liquid, cover, and bring to a simmer.
  • Transfer the covered pot to the oven and cook for 1½ hours. Uncover and continue to cook until the lamb is falling-off-the-bone tender and the sauce has reduced by half, about another 1 to 1½ hours more. Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm, then carefully skim off any excess fat on the surface of the sauce, saving it for another use. If you want the sauce to be a little thicker, return it to the stove over medium heat and reduce to your desired thickness. The sauce should still be a little soupy but coat a spoon.
  • To serve, ladle half the sauce into a large, shallow serving dish, place the braised lamb shanks on top, and pour the rest of the sauce over them. Serve with boiled potatoes and garnish with an extra sprinkling of piment d’Espelette.

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