What I Ate For Dinner

Braising is about as close to alchemy as exists on earth: you start with tough and boney cuts of meat and turn them into flavorful, succulent, moist and tender golden nuggets. The only downside is that it takes some time. Traditionally, a braised dish will camp out in the oven for something like three or four hours, if not more. And truth be told, there's really no way around that, for the best results. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time tonight, so I've abbreviated the braising process to a scant 75-90 minutes. You can still get wonderful flavor in this time, but be advised that it won't replicate the "falling off the bone" tenderizing effects of four hours. There simply is no substitute for patience. The basic method, though, remains the same no matter how much time you have to devote.

Braising is a simple three-step process: browning, deglazing, and roasting. Start with lamb shanks that have been dredged in seasoned flour. Brown them in olive oil in a tall-sided, oven-ready vessel with a lid. Remove them after they've browned and add your vegetables--tonight I'm using chopped shallot, carrot, fennel and tomato, although potatoes or any number of other things would also work. Once the vegetables are soft and have some color, add in enough stock and white wine to fully cover them. For a longer braising process, you might want to either add even more liquid before roasting, or add more while the shanks are in the oven, depending on how much of it evaporates.

Allow the liquid and vegetables to simmer for a few moments, season with salt, pepper and fresh chopped herbs, and add the shanks. Cover, and roast in the oven at around 300 degrees. Again, 75-90 minutes is about the minimum, and three or four hours or so would be ideal. Braising times can vary, though, so keep an eye on them and judge for yourself how they're progressing. Remember to turn the shanks every 45 minutes or so to ensure even exposure to the liquid.

Gremolata sounds like the name of an ostentatious sports car from the eighties, but in fact, it's actually a common accompaniment to braised meats. It has only three ingredients: a healthy dose of lemon and/or lime zest, a bit of minced raw garlic, and some chopped fresh herbs (leafy stuff like thyme and parsley are great). This will add color to the plate and intrigue to each bite by bringing out some of the savory braised flavors with a sharp, acidic accent.

We've served it all up with the by-now-familiar wasabi-balsamic mashed potatoes.

Lamb chops are a luxury, to be sure, but one that can be easily assimilated into your rotation. The chop I got today cost $3 alone at $13/pound. Keeping in mind that about half its weight is bone, the price of the meaty medallion is close to that of filet mignon. But when it's on stage with some of its hearty homies, it doesn't have to do all the talking. Tonight, I feature a simple preparation for lamb chops that works well on the stove top, but even better on the grill. Holdin' it down with the chop are wasabi-balsamic mashed potatoes and green beans almondine, which makes for a dynamic meal that runs the range from hearty to spicy to subtle to crunchy. Since you'll have an oily marinade, the lamb is perfect for the grill, but "baron" mind that if you sear it on the stove top, you won't have to add much oil to the pan.

Start by slicing a deep pocket in the lamb medallion. Spoon in a mixture of olive oil, parm, fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, or the classic mint), salt and pepper. Drizzle some more of that mix on top of the chop as a marinade. You really don't have to marinate this, though, since the adjuncts are already inside the chop. Finish on the grill, ideally, or sear on the stove. Careful, though, not to overcook: since there's a bone, and lamb chops are usually only about an inch thick to begin with, they won't take too long.

For the mashed potatoes, start by boiling peeled and diced russets (you could also use red new potatoes, which don't have to be peeled) until soft. Drain, and add chopped rosemary, salt and pepper, parm, caramelized shallot, a bit of balsamic and wasabi (to taste). Cream it up with milk or half and half and some butter. Mix it up until you get the consistency you like. Add less milk the first time around, since it's easier to add more milk than to peel, dice, and boil more potato.

Finish the plate with green beans almondine. Sauté green beans in olive oil or the fat rendered from diced bacon. Add shaved almonds, season, and deglaze with white wine. Simmer until the green beans are soft but still have structure and have turned a brighter green. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes.