Lamb Shank with Red Sauce and
Orzo (Yevetsi)
Our traditional New Year's Eve Dinner
can be baked, cooked on the stove top, or slow cooker
Ingredients:
lamb
shanks (one per adult)
diced yellow
onions, half of an onion
celery, cut
in one inch sizes
chopped or
minced garlic
a big can of
diced tomatoes
a
medium size of tomato sauce
carrots, or
green bean
tomato paste
bay leaves
(2)
oregano
salt
pepper,
course ground
cinnamon
EV olive oil
water
orzo
(As you
know, ethnic cooking is not a precise art. It is what is pleasing to the one
cooking the dish. “A little bit of this, a pinch of that, and a lot of taste
testing is the trick to excellent cooking!)
1. Put a
small amount of olive oil in a pan.
2. Brown the
lamb shanks on all sides.
Baked or
Slow Cooker:
1. Put all
ingredients at the bottom of slow cooker pot or baking pan (with high edge),
except lamb.
2. Lay the
lamb on top.
3. Add water
to the height of lamb.
4. Stir to
blend the seasonings.
Slow
Cooker:
5. on high
for 6-8 hours
Check at half way point for flavor and doneness. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Baked in
the Oven:
5. Bake for
3-4 hour in the oven at 350 degrees.
Check at
halfway point for doneness and taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Boil orzo
until done. Drain the water.
7. Right
before serving, pour some sauce onto the orzo and mix well.
8. 15-20
minutes before serving, add the carrots /or green beans
Stove top:
1. Saute the onions.
2. Add the
garlic, tomatoes, sauces, and paste.
3. Put the
browned lamb shanks.
4. Add the
rest of the seasonings.
5. Let boil and then simmer with cover for 3-4 hours.
Check half
way for seasoning and doneness. Adjust seasoning to taste.
30 minutes prior to
being done, it may be put in the oven
to brown and to make
the sauce thicker
Especially
if you are Greek or married to one, serve with a lot of French or Italian bread.
(Is there an equivalent Greek bread?)
I wonder how
it would taste with black or kalamata olives.
the finished
product
