All About Satisfaction!

"Braising: A method of cooking food in a closed vessel with very little liquid
at a low temperature and for a very long time."

That quote, from the classic French Bible of gastronomy Larousse Gastronomique (which by the way has just been released in a new revised edition...Christmas is coming!), describes braising exactly. Simple, direct, just like most good things we cook. And for this season, the cold weather, pull-out-the-sweater, put on your hat to walk the dog weather, is there anything better than walking into your house and smelling that which has been slowly cooking in your oven? The intense, savory, house-filling fragrance of meat, vegetables, and a smidge of liquid that have unhurriedly been melding into something so fall-off-the-bone tender that when you take the first bite bite you swear there must be magic in that pot. THAT is why I braise!

More often than not, when I am seeking slow-cooking inspiration, I look to the Bible of braising, Molly Stevens' definitive "All About Braising". That is where I found this recipe that serves six that we had for two. Sure, I guess I could've cut back the ingredients and made it a bit more manageable meal for w and I, but then I wouldn't have had the leftovers the next night, when it may have been even better, nor would I have that extra container of leftovers in the freezer that is destined to become a lamb ragu over pasta at some future dinner. Add on the fact that when my 9-quart Le Creuset is filled with deliciousness, then I know all is right in my world! This was fabulous, and should you decide to not horde it all for yourself, a knockout dinner party meal. Perfect with a rich southern French red from the Rhone Valley....I opened an awesome bottle of Gigondas....where every sip of wine and every bite of lamb seems made for each other!
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Braised Lamb Shanks Provençal
From Molly Stevens/"All About Braising"

Molly Stevens: "Braising meaty lamb shanks in a piquant mix of sour lemons, black olives, and fresh tomatoes offsets their rich, gamy flavor. If you make this in early autumn when the first nips of cold air wake up your appetite for slow-cooked meats, look for the last of the local ripe plum tomatoes in the market. If good fresh tomatoes are unavailable, use canned. The dish will be every bit as satisfying. Serve with soft polenta or buttery mashed potatoes."

Serves 6
ingredients:
6 lamb shanks (about 1 pound each)
All-purpose flour for dredging (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions (about 1 pound total), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or one 14 1/2-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped, juice reserved)
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
1 cup chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
2 lemons
3 small or 2 large bay leaves
1/2cup pitted and coarsely chopped oil-cured black olives, such as Nyons or Moroccan
1/4cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

method:
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Trimming the lamb shanks: If the shanks are covered in a tough parchment-like outer layer (called the fell), trim this away by inserting a thin knife under it to loosen and peeling back this layer. Remove any excess fat as well, but don’t fuss with trying to peel off any of the thin membrane—this holds the shank together and will melt down during braising.

3. Dredging the lamb shanks: Pour the flour into a shallow dish and stir in 1 tablespoon of the paprika. Season the shanks all over with salt and pepper. Roll half the shanks in the flour, lifting them out one by one and patting to remove any excess, and set them on a large plate or tray, without touching.

4. Browning the lamb shanks: Heat the oil in a large heavy-based braising pot (6- to 7- quart) over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the 3 flour-dredged shanks (you’re searing in two batches so as not to crowd the pot). Cook, turning the shanks with tongs, until they are gently browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the shanks to a plate or tray, without stacking or crowding. Dredge the remaining shanks in flour, patting to remove any excess, and brown them. Set beside the already browned shanks, and discard the remaining flour.

5. The aromatics and braising liquid: Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot and return the pot to the heat. If the bottom of the pot is at all blackened, wipe it out with a damp paper towel, being careful to leave behind any tasty caramelized drippings. Add the onions, tomatoes with their juice, and the garlic and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are mostly tender. Pour in the wine and stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits on the bottom of the pot that will contribute flavor to the liquid. Simmer for 3 minutes. Pour in the stock, stir and scrape the bottom again, and simmer for another 3 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, zest the lemon: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from half of 1 lemon, being careful to remove only the outermost yellow zest, not the bitter-tasting white pith; reserve the lemon. Add the zest to the pot, along with the bay leaves.

7. The braise: Arrange the lamb shanks on top of the vegetables. The shanks should fit fairly snugly in the pot, but you may need to arrange them “head-to-toe” so they fit more evenly. Don’t worry if they are stacked in two layers. Cover the pot with parchment paper, pressing down so that it nearly touches the lamb and the edges of the paper extend about an inch over the side of the pot. Set the lid in place, slide the pot into the lower part of the oven, and braise for about 2 1/2hours. Check the shanks every 35 to 45 minutes, turning them with tongs and moving those on top to the bottom and vice versa, and making sure that there is still plenty of braising liquid. If the liquid seems to be simmering too aggressively at any point, lower the oven heat by 10 to 15 degrees. If the liquid threatens to dry out, add 1/3cup water. The shanks are done when the meat is entirely tender and they slide off a meat fork when you try to spear them.

8. Segmenting the lemon: While the shanks braise, use a thin-bladed knife (a boning knife works well) to carve the entire peel from the 2 lemons. The easiest way to do this is to first cut off the stem and blossom end of each one so the lemon is flat on the top and bottom. Then stand the lemon up and carve off the peel and white pith beneath it with arcing slices to expose the fruit. Trim away any bits of pith or membrane that you’ve left behind, until you have a whole naked lemon. Now, working over a small bowl to collect the juices, hold a lemon in one hand and cut out the individual segments, leaving as much of the membrane behind as you can. Drop the segments into the bowl, and pick out the seeds as you go. When you finish, you should be holding a random star-shaped membrane with very little fruit pulp attached. Give this a squeeze into the bowl and discard. Repeat with the second lemon.

9. The finish: Transfer the shanks to a tray to catch any juices, and cover with foil to keep warm. Using a wide spoon, skim as much surface fat from the cooking liquid as possible. Lamb shanks tend to throw off quite a bit of fat: continue skimming (tilting the pot to gather all the liquid in one corner makes it easier) until you are satisfied. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in the lemon segments, olives, and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper. Return the shanks to the braising liquid to reheat for a minute or two. Serve with plenty of sauce spooned over each shank.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Cellar Report: '03 Cameron Pinot Noir & '98 San Vincenti Chianti!

Cellar report: 1998 Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape "Les Olivets"

This is what I'm talking about! I mean, what's the point of having all that bottled grape-juice-for-adults in the basement if you don't pull something up that knocks not only your socks off, but those lucky friends who get to share? Such was the case last night when we had friends over for a perfectly grilled leg of lamb, crusty outside with a rosemary, garlic, thyme and olive oil marinade (in fact, check back for the next three days and I'll lay out a whole dinner party that will absolutely rock your dinner tables!). It had finally cooled off enough outside to get my head around some red wine, I was in a Rhone-ish mood and I knew we needed something intense, but not so over the top that it kills the lamb. The lamb was a pretty straightforward preparation, so a little subtlety and finesse within the intensity was the ticket. I'd had this bottle of 1998 Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape resting comfortably downstairs for years, and I always loves me some Rhone Valley goodness, so the time seemed right.

I'll start at the end of the bottle, because as happens so often, just when you get to the last drops is when the wine is showing its best. Although up to that moment it was tasting pretty fucking amazing. I ideally should have decanted it about 30-45 minutes ahead of time. A blend of 80% grenache, 10% syrah, and 10% cinsault off of 65+ year old vines, this was a classic. Great, still youthful color when poured, aromas of cherry, earth, meat, stones, spring blossoms, and spice rolled out of the glass. Once again I am just amazed at how many different flavors and sensations that a few little grapes can give. On the palate it was full, with all those aromas echoed and intensified. Really rich and ripe, with still young tannins carrying this super complete red on through to a delicious, lingering finish. Awesome, crazy juice. And then over the next 45 minutes it just got better....and better...and better. I love my friends, but it was all I could do not to grab the decanter, dump the rest in my glass and yell "It's all mine, dammit!!" But sharing is caring, there was much lamby meatiness to get through, and besides we had plenty of other social lubricant on hand, so a crass display of self-absorption would be a bit unseemly, don't ya think? A great bottle, and the 1998 Chateauneufs seem to be just coming into their own right now, and this gem could easily have another 5-10 years in it. Sadly it was my last bottle of Sabon (sigh)...............

The Sabon cellars (photo from http://www.chateauneuf.dk/en/cdpen55.htm)

Spread the word: Belon sighting in PDX!!

This is a shout out to all who, like w and I, live for their next bivalve fix in the form of brinily fresh, just-shucked oysters. For us the sight of a dozen or so Kumamotos or Fanny Bays and a cold glass of Muscadet are enough to bring our lives to a momentary, sweet stop. Last night we had another such experience that all of you fortunate PDX oyster aficionados need to know about. Right now at at Castagna Café they are serving what some consider the n'est plus ultra of oysters, fresh Belons, these coming from Washington. These native French delicacies originally from the Brittany coast are now being harvested up in Washington, and when I saw them on the menu last night my eyes got as big as the Belon's pleasingly round shells. They were outstanding with their creamy texture and salty-briny flavors. So fresh, it always reminds me of a perfect descriptor of the fresh oyster experience: "It's like eating the ocean." So true!

They won't be around long, so grab them while you can, preferably with a glass of their Francois Chidaine "Touraine" Sauv Blanc. Does it get any better? I think not!

Cellar Report

It has been mentioned to me more than a few times by friends and customers at the wine shack that I should use this self-indulgent forum as a platform for commenting on a few of the wines I drink with semi-alarming regularity that might be of greater interest to the ever thirsty public. So occasionally when I have something that catches my attention, in either a good or bad way, I'll make mention in case you have a few of these bottles lurking in your collections.

w and I recently went over to my sister and bro-in-law's house for a pre-holiday weekend dinner of a quite delicious pre-holiday ham. Since I had been at work at the wine shack enabling others drinking needs and didn't have any culinary treats to contribute (and since my sis is thankfully an outstanding cook herself), I assigned myself the task of bringing a couple of bottles out of the basement archives. The good thing about ham is it is ever flexible and appreciative of almost any kind of wine you pour with it. My favorite hammy accompaniment beverage is probably an ice cold bottle of dry rosé from France or Italy. But then again this was almost the end of December and it was freaking cold outside, so something a little warmer seemed in order. I grabbed what is poroabbly about as yin-yang in the red wine world as you can get: a 2002 Shotfire Ridge Shiraz from Australia, and then a forgotten treat I recently came across while organizing the bottles that were in disarray in the basement, a 2001 Brick House Wines Gamay Noir from here in Oregon; Brick House making what is perhaps the best gamay in America.

2002 in Australia was by reputation one of the best vintages in recent memory in the land of Oz. This Shotfire '02 Shiraz from the Barossa even garnered a whopping ninety-something point score from the Wine Spectator and a spot in their Top 100 Wines of 2004. I'm the first to admit that I find most Aussie Shiraz a little too one dimensional....kind of flabby, jammy, a little high in alcohol, good but rarely great...and I have almost none in the cellar. But I had thrown three of these down there when it was released, and was curious to see what had happened in the intervening three years. Well, it was still good, full and rich, but the fruit had lost its bounce and seemed a little flat. It didn't really wow any of us, I don't see it getting a lot better with more time. One of those wines you go "oh, that's pretty good" but nothing that really grabs you, especially odd given its high rating. Hm, I think there is an object lesson in there for all you point-buyers.

The 2001 Brick House Gamay on the other hand was stellar. This organically grown and meticulously made red by Doug Tunnell is always fabulous, and given the great 2001 Oregon vintage I was thrilled to find I still had a bottle of what I was hoping was a hidden gem. When we first poured it I was wondering if it had lost some fruit, as the acidity seemed to have it all over the fruit. But given time to open up, this blossomed in the glass, its still-bright cherry and spice fruit jumping from the glass, and showing that time had mellowed its youthful exuberance into an elegant, absolutely delicious, seamless red that worked perfectly with the roast ham. If you have this or any '02 or younger BH Gamay's rest assured they are only getting better!