The combination of lamb, thyme, garlic, and lemon is so perfect that this dish—simple as it is—is among my favorites. Needless to say, the slow-cooked potatoes, stewed in the pan juices, become rather fabulous. Other cuts of meat you can use here: boneless lamb or pork shoulder or shoulder lamb chops, all of which will cook more quickly than the shanks; short ribs; beef chuck or brisket; veal shank (osso buco).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

　　4 lamb shanks, each about 1 pound

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　4 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

　　4 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus a few fresh leaves for garnish

　　2 cups stock, preferably homemade (pages 160–163), white wine, or water

　　2 pounds waxy potatoes, scrubbed, or all-purpose potatoes (such as russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　

Step 1

Put the olive oil in a large deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid and turn the heat to high. A minute later, add the lamb shanks and brown well, turning as necessary; this will take at least 10 minutes. About halfway through the browning, sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper and add the garlic and thyme.

　　

Step 2

When the meat is nicely browned, add the liquid, turn the heat down to low, and cover. Cook at a slow simmer until the lamb is quite tender, about 1 1/2 hours or a little longer. (The dish may be prepared to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to a day.) Add the potatoes and re-cover.

　　

Step 3

Raise the heat if necessary (the mixture should continue to boil, but not too rapidly) and cook until the potatoes are just about tender, 30 to 45 minutes more. If the stew is very thin, raise the heat to high and uncover to boil out some of the liquid. When the potatoes are tender, taste and adjust the seasoning, stir in the lemon juice, garnish with a few fresh thyme leaves if you have them, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.