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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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2
Heat a large Dutch oven (preferably oval) or soup pot with a lid, over high heat.
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3
Add half the olive oil and heat.
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4
Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
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5
Add 2 of the lamb shanks to the hot oil and brown on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.
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6
Transfer shanks to a plate.
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7
Repeat with the remaining olive oil and shanks.
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8
Add the garlic, celery, carrots and onions and to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes.
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9
Meanwhile, use a vegetable peeler to strip the zest (just the orange skin, not the white pith underneath) from the orange in large pieces.
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10
Halve and juice the orange and set aside.
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11
Add the red wine to the vegetables and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits that cling to the pot.
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12
Stir in the orange zest, currants, salt, and pepper.
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13
Bring to a boil and cook until the wine is syrupy, about 5 minutes.
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14
Cut a square of cheesecloth and place the parsley stems, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, juniper berries, peppercorns and star anise in the center.
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15
Tie into a bundle with kitchen twine.
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16
Add the spice bundle, chicken broth, orange juice and the shanks, along with any collected juices, to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven.
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17
Cook about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, turning the shanks occasionally, until the meat is just falling off the bone.
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18
Transfer the shanks to a plate.
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19
Scoop the vegetables from the liquid using a slotted spoon and set aside.
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20
Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until thickened, about 15 minutes.
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21
Add the lemon juice, and season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
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22
Return the shanks to the sauce and warm over medium heat, turning to coat evenly.
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23
To serve, mound some of the polenta in the centers of 4 heated dinner plates.
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24
Top with a shank, and spoon some sauce and vegetables over and around the meat.
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25
Spoon a bit of Blood Orange Relish over each shank and serve immediately.
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26
2 blood or navel oranges
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27
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and cored
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28
1/2 Granny Smith apple, diced small, about 1/2 cup
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29
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
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30
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly toasted, optional
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31
1 to 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
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32
2 teaspoons kosher salt
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33
Freshly ground black pepper
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34
Cut both ends from the oranges.
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35
Stand them on a flat end and cut away all of the peel and white pith.
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36
Quarter them top to bottom.
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37
Lay the wedges on their sides and slice them thinly crosswise.
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38
Slice the fennel crosswise into very thin slices.
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39
Gently toss the oranges, fennel, apple, parsley, fennel seeds and vinegar together in a small bowl.
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40
Season with the salt and pepper.
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41
(This can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.)
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42
3 cups milk
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43
2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
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44
2 teaspoons kosher salt
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45
1 cup instant polenta
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46
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
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47
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
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48
Freshly ground black pepper
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49
Bring the milk, chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan.
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50
Whisk in the polenta in a slow stream and cook, whisking constantly, until the polenta thickens, 3 to 5 minutes.
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51
When large bubbles begin to surface, remove from heat and stir in the cheeses and pepper.
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52
Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary.
