This dish is all about patience; the chile sauce takes just a few minutes to prepare and can be done while the lamb shanks are browning. But after combining the two with the mushrooms you must wait, sometimes for a few hours, for the shanks to become completely tender. Once that’s done, you can eat the meat with a rice dish (try Arroz a la Mexicana, for example, on page 517), or use it as a filling for tacos. Ideally, you’d use wild mushrooms here—I once made it with chanterelles, and the combination was magical—but fresh shiitakes are also great. Other cuts of meat you can use here: short ribs (which will also take a long time); chunks of lamb or pork shoulder (which will be faster) or beef chuck or brisket; bone-in chicken parts (which will be much quicker), preferably thighs.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons lard (preferred) or neutral oil, such as corn or grapeseed

　　4 lamb shanks, each about 1 pound

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　1 large white onion, chopped

　　1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded or reserved for stock, caps sliced

　　1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano leaves or

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1 recipe Pasilla Salsa (page 612)

　　

Step 1

Put the lard in a large deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid and place over high heat. A minute later, add the lamb shanks and brown well, turning as necessary, at least 10 minutes. About halfway through the browning, sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. If you have not made the Pasilla Salsa, now is the time.

　　

Step 2

Turn the heat to medium, transfer the lamb to a plate, and add the onion and mushrooms to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally and sprinkling the vegetables with salt and pepper, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the marjoram, cumin, salsa, and about 1/2 cup water. Nestle the lamb in the sauce and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers slowly; cover.

　　

Step 3

Cook, turning and checking the meat every 30 minutes or so and adding a little water if necessary to keep the mixture from drying out. When the meat is very, very tender, at least an hour (and probably more like 2), turn off the heat and serve or keep warm over low heat until you’re ready to serve. Or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before reheating.

　　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.