Braised Lamb Shanks With Mint and Flageolets

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 pound flageolets
• 4 cups water
• Flour for dredging
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ cup white-wine vinegar
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Coarse salt to taste
• Chopped fresh mint leaves to garnish

4 servings

Preparation

1. Wipe the lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with the garlic, rosemary, mint, thyme and two tablespoons olive oil. Season with pepper and marinate overnight. Rinse and pick over the flageolets. Soak overnight in water.
2. The next day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the remaining olive oil. Dredge lamb shanks in flour and brown them on all sides.
3. Remove the lamb and add the onions with the garlic from the marinade. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, white wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and scrape up the cooking juices. Add the lamb shanks, which should fit in one layer, and bake in the oven for two hours, covered or until tender. A large cast-iron casserole is good for this.
4. Meanwhile, bring the beans to a boil, drain them and add four cups of fresh cold water. Simmer for about an hour or until cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. When the lamb shanks are cooked, remove them from the sauce. Reduce the sauce so that it is thick enough to coat the shanks without being too soupy. Put the beans on the outer edges of a serving dish and put the shanks in the middle. Top them with the sauce and sprinkle with the fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately.