Braised Lamb Shanks with Parmesan-Chive Grits

You’d never guess that this sophisticated dish was made in a slow-cooker. The key to restaurant-quality lamb results is to select shanks roughly the same size and that have been trimmed of excess fat and the tendons along the bone. Save the reserved liquid for making incredible grits.

Serves 4 (serving size: 1 lamb shank, about 1 cup grits)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 lamb shanks (about 11 oz.) each, trimmed
5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 medium-size yellow onions (about 1 lb.), cut into 1-inch wedges
2 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, smashed (about 1 Tbsp.)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 cups plus 1 Tbsp. water, divided
1 cup uncooked stone-ground yellow grits
2 1/2 ounces finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter


Southern Living
February 2018