I thought I was tired of braised lamb shanks, having cooked them for so many years. But then I added a step that utterly transforms them. Reducing the braising liquid and then basting the lamb with it makes this dish wonderfully rich. Serve this with Green Apple and Jalapeño Duo (page 177); the green apple puree and salad balance the richness with a bright, refreshing acidity.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　Grapeseed or other neutral oil

　　4 whole (2-pound) lamb shanks, trimmed and patted dry

　　2 medium yellow onions, sliced

　　2 medium shallots, sliced

　　13 garlic cloves, sliced

　　Kosher salt

　　2 Asian pears, cored and cut into 2-inch chunks

　　1 bunch scallions, green parts only

　　2 lemongrass stalks, smashed and thinly sliced

　　5-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

　　1 fresh long red (finger) chile, stemmed, seeded, and sliced

　　4 whole star anise

　　1 1/4 cups semidry Gewürztraminer or Riesling

　　1 cup champagne vinegar

　　3/4 cup soy sauce

　　1/2 cup honey

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

　　

Step 2

Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat until very hot. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan and heat until almost smoking. Carefully slide in the lamb shanks in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn on another side and continue cooking and turning to evenly brown all sides and the top, about 8 minutes longer. Drain all of the fat from the pan.

　　

Step 3

Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan and heat until shimmering. Stir in the onions, shallots, and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Add the onion mixture to the pan with the lamb, along with the pears, scallions, lemongrass, ginger, chile, anise, wine, vinegar, soy sauce, and honey. Add enough water to cover the lamb by 1/2 inch.

　　

Step 5

Cover and bring to a boil. Transfer to the oven and braise until the meat is completely tender and falling off the bone, about 3 1/2 hours. Uncover and carefully transfer the lamb shanks to a dish. Raise the oven temperature to 375°F.

　　

Step 6

Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Bring to a boil and continue to boil over high heat until reduced by a third.

　　

Step 7

Return the shanks to the Dutch oven, meat side down, and pour the reduced liquid over them. Transfer to the oven and cook, basting every 5 minutes, until lacquered with a mahogany glaze, about 15 minutes. There should still be syrupy sauce left in the pan.

　　

Step 8

Serve the lamb shanks with the sauce spooned over the meat.

　　Reprinted with permission from Home Cooking with Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes by Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Genevieve Ko. Copyright © 2011 by Jean-Georges Vongerichten; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the most influential chefs in the world, having single-handedly redefined haute French cuisine, lightening and refining it by adding select Asian accents. He is the chef-owner of dozens of restaurants in fourteen cities around the world. His flagship restaurant, Jean Georges, at New York's Columbus Circle, is one of six restaurants in the United States to have been awarded three coveted Michelin stars; it received four stars from the New York Times. The winner of multiple James Beard Foundation awards, he lives in New York City and Waccabuc, New York, with his family.Genevieve Ko is a cookbook author and the senior food editor at Good Housekeeping magazine. She has written for Martha Stewart Living, Gourmet, and Fine Cooking and lives in New York City with her family.