Recipe: Fruit-Braised Lamb Shanks

Fruit-Braised Lamb Shanks

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 lamb shanks, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1/2 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 fresh or 1/2 dry bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
2 cups chicken broth
2 peaches, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 nectarines, pitted and coarsely chopped
2 plums, pitted and coarsely chopped

In a medium skillet with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat and add the oil. Add the shanks and saut them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the shanks and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Return to medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Saut 1 to 2 minutes, then add the bay leaf and thyme and sprinkle with the flour, turmeric and chili flakes. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the wine. Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes to release any bits stuck to the pan. Add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth and return the shanks to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, then add the fruit and continue to cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is tender and can be pulled away from the bone. Stir occasionally while cooking, basting the shanks with the sauce. As the sauce thickens, the sugar in the fruit will cause it to stick to the pan, so stir more frequently. Add more broth if necessary. When the shanks are done, remove them from the pan and pull away or cut off the meat. Discard the bone. Skim the surface fat from the sauce. Return the meat to the sauce and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, just enough to heat the meat through. Serve immediately. Makes 5 servings.