After eating at Tavern on the Green, recently, the Accidental Locavore had the idea to make my own version of lamb shanks in red curry. This is an easy slow-cooker dish that served two with leftovers, but you can easily scale it up.
- 2 lamb shanks
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (more to taste)
- 1 Thai red chile, seeded and finely sliced
- 1 can coconut milk (not low fat)
- ½ can bamboo shoots
- Green beans (about a handful, trimmed and cut in half)
- Cilantro for garnish
In a Dutch oven large enough to hold the lamb shanks, heat the olive oil over high heat. Salt and pepper the lamb shanks and add to the pan. Sear on all sides until well browned. While the shanks are browning, add the curry paste and coconut milk and stir to mix well. Add the lamb and pan juices, the chile and bamboo shoots. Cook, covered, on the high setting for 6 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. About ½ hour before serving, add the green beans. Serve over jasmine rice and enjoy!
My verdict: A work in progress. I couldn’t find the red curry paste so used a massaman curry instead. It’s a little milder and was good, but a different flavor than the red curry. I also took the meat off the bones when I added the green beans, so it would be easier to serve. Japanese eggplants, potatoes, or straw mushrooms would all be good additions, depending on what you were in the mood for. If you don’t have a slow cooker, just add the curry, coconut milk, etc, to the lamb in the pan and cook, covered for about 2 hours on a very low heat or in a 200° oven for about the same amount of time.
