Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (60 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Lamb shanks are flavorful cuts of meat, but they’re full of connective tissue that needs to be properly cooked down to guarantee tender, juicy (not tough) meat. For our lamb shanks, we found that we preferred to braise them in the oven rather than on the stovetop, as the oven provided more even, gentle heat. Browning the shanks over high heat in a skillet first added intense flavor. Braising the shanks in chicken broth (which complemented, rather than overpowered, the lamb, as beef or veal stock might have), white wine, and herbs flavored the shanks throughout.
SERVES 6
If you’re using smaller shanks than the ones called for in this recipe, reduce the braising time by up to 30 minutes. Serve with polenta or mashed potatoes. Côtes du Rhône works particularly well here.
6 | (12- to 16-ounce) lamb shanks, trimmed |
Salt and pepper | |
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
3 | carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces |
2 | onions, sliced thick |
2 | celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces |
4 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | tablespoons tomato paste |
1 | tablespoon herbes de Provence |
2 | cups dry red wine |
3 | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
1.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pat lamb shanks dry and season with salt. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of shanks on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer shanks to large plate and repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and remaining lamb shanks.
2.
Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat off pan. Add carrots, onions, celery, garlic, tomato paste, herbes de Provence, and pinch salt and cook until vegetables are just starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in wine, then broth, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, and bring to simmer. Nestle shanks, along with any accumulated juices, into pot.
3.
Bring to simmer, cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook for 1¹⁄
2
hours. Uncover and continue to cook until tops of shanks are browned, about 30 minutes. Flip shanks and continue to cook until remaining sides are browned and fork slips easily in and out of shanks, 15 to 30 minutes longer.
4.
Remove pot from oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer shanks and vegetables to large plate and tent with aluminum foil. Skim fat from braising liquid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Return shanks to braising liquid to warm through before serving.
Substitute 2 teaspoons minced fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried for herbes de Provence and dry white wine for red wine. After skimming excess fat from braising liquid, add 1 recipe
SIMPLE CANNELLINI BEANS
, 3 ounces stemmed, chopped Swiss chard, and 1 teaspoon more minced fresh marjoram. Cook over medium heat until greens wilt and flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Spoon over each shank; serve.
Add 1 quartered lemon to braising liquid. Substitute 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint for herbes de Provence and substitute dry white wine for red wine. After skimming fat from braising liquid, stir in 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon more minced fresh mint.
Serve with couscous and one or more of the following: sautéed onion, lemon zest, parsley, mint, toasted almonds, or ras al hanout (recipe follows).
Substitute 2 tablespoons ras al hanout for herbes de Provence. Add 2 minced ancho chile peppers (or 2 or 3 jalapeños) to onions, carrots, and celery.
MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
2
CUP
8 | allspice berries |
8 | cardamom pods |
15 | whole black peppercorns |
1 | (¹⁄ |
1 | tablespoon ground ginger |
1 | teaspoon fennel seeds |
1 | teaspoon coriander seeds |
1 | teaspoon ground nutmeg |
¹⁄ | teaspoon anise seeds |
¹⁄ | teaspoon cumin seeds |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
¹⁄ | teaspoon mace |
Combine all ingredients and, using spice grinder, grind to fine powder. Transfer to small bowl.
HERBES DE PROVENCE
Herbes de Provence is a mixture representative of those herbs used most frequently in the south of France. Usually a combination of basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory, and thyme, herbes de Provence can be found in most large grocery stores or ordered online.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Though arguably the most popular Indian restaurant dish, chicken tikka masala is not actually authentic—it was invented in a London curry house. Recipes we found produced dry chicken and sauces that were unbearably rich and/or overspiced. We wanted an approachable method for producing moist, tender chunks of chicken in a rich, lightly spiced tomato sauce. To season the chicken, we rubbed it with salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne and refrigerated it. Then we dipped it in yogurt mixed with oil, garlic, and ginger and broiled it. Since large pieces don’t dry out as quickly as smaller ones under the broiler, we cooked the chicken breasts whole, cutting them into pieces only after cooking. While the chicken was cooking, we made the masala sauce. The ingredients in a masala sauce depend on the whim of the cook, although tomatoes and cream are always present. We added onion, ginger, garlic, chile, and a readily available commercial garam masala spice mixture. A little tomato paste and sugar gave our sauce color and sweetness.
SERVES 4 TO 6
This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon ground cardamom, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. Serve with
BASMATI RICE PILAF
.
CHICKEN
1 | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cumin |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground coriander |
¹⁄ | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
2 | pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed |
1 | cup plain whole-milk yogurt |
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
1 | tablespoon grated fresh ginger |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
SAUCE
3 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
1 | fresh serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced |
1 | tablespoon tomato paste |
1 | tablespoon garam masala |
1 | (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes |
2 | teaspoons sugar |
Salt | |
²⁄ | cup heavy cream |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh cilantro |
1. FOR THE CHICKEN:
Combine salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, oil, ginger, and garlic together in large bowl and set aside.
2. FOR THE SAUCE:
Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, serrano, tomato paste, and garam masala and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
While sauce simmers, position oven rack 6 inches from heating element and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest part registers 160 degrees and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.
4.
Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, season with salt to taste, and serve. (Sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days and gently reheated before adding hot chicken.)
SHOPPING FOR GARAM MASALA
Garam masala, which means “hot mixture,” is a northern Indian combination of dry-roasted, ground spices used in a wide range of dishes. Often used as a base to which other spices are added, the exact composition of the mixture varies with the tastes of the cook. The most common ingredients include black peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander, cumin, dried chiles, fennel, mace, nutmeg, and bay leaves. Ginger and caraway seeds also make frequent appearances, and we have encountered recipes that call for saffron, sesame seeds, and ajowan. While we’ve found that commercial mixtures tend to be less aromatic and more muted than batches we toast and grind fresh ourselves, grinding whole spices to concoct this blend can be both time-consuming and expensive. If you choose to purchase garam masala at the supermarket, we suggest you check the ingredients and buy a brand that sticks with mostly traditional ingredients. Avoid blends that include such ingredients as dehydrated onion and yeast extract.
