Lamb Shanks are out - Baby back ribs are in....

Remember that "right of refusal" mentioned in my first post?

OK Mary - you're right... it is July 4th weekend. What was I thinking - it has to be a barbecue.

So - after a careful web search I found a recipe on The Food Network for baby back ribs.

I have never attempted to cook these myself, but love to have them when I go to The Cookhouse Restaurant in New Milford, CT.

Coleslaw is also a must on the 4th, followed by a red, white and blue berry fruit tart for dessert.

I will probably add some grilled corn on the cob.

Thanks Food Network Stars - Alton Brown and Paula Deen for providing the recipes.

Links to recipes are here:

Alton Brown - Baby Back Ribs



Paula Deen - Rene's Coleslaw



Paula Deen - Fruit Tart


For the tart - in keeping with our theme, I will leave out the kiwi and keep it just the red and blue fruits.

Happy Birthday USA !!!
Remember our troops - Thanks to all of our enlisted men and women who are out there working for us every single day.

The 4th Sister

OK - I was almost added to the s$&! list, but we have another amazing sister who loves to order out. When we get together it is "party time". Every one should have a sister like this...in fact many of her good friends consider her to be their "sister from ...". Margaret found out that we were doing this cooking thing and she wants in and as a good older sister, I have added her as an author. Can't wait to see what menu she chooses for her month.

Our First Recipe - chosen by Liz for Sunday July 3rd

From "Cooks Illustrated"

Braised Lamb Shanks

INGREDIENTS

• 6lamb shanks , 3/4 to 1 pound each, trimmed of excess fat and fell (thin, white papery covering), see illustration
• Table salt
• 1tablespoon canola oil
• 2medium onions , sliced thick
• 3medium carrots , peeled and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
• 2medium ribs celery , cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
• 4medium cloves garlic , minced
• 2tablespoons tomato paste
• 1tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 2cups dry red wine
• 3cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle shanks with salt. Heat oil in a large, nonreactive sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shanks to pan in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Sauté until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer shanks to a plate as they brown.
2. 2. Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat from the sauté pan; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, a light sprinkling of salt and 1 teaspoon of the herbes de Provence; sauté to soften vegetables slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add red wine, then chicken stock to the skillet, stirring with a wooden spoons to loosen browned bits from skillet bottom. Bring liquid to simmer; transfer vegetables and liquid into a deep braising pan, large enough to hold the shanks in a single layer. Add shanks, season with salt, pepper, and remaining herbes de Provence.
3. 3. Cover pan (with foil if pan has no lid) and transfer it to the oven; braise shanks for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue braising until shank tops are browned, about 30 minutes. Turn shanks and continue braising until remaining side has browned and shanks are fall-off-the-bone tender.
4. 4. Remove pan from oven; let shanks rest for at least 15 minutes. Carefully transfer shanks with tongs to each of 6 plates. Arrange a portion of vegetables around each shank. Skim excess fat from braising liquid and adjust seasoning. Spoon a portion of braising liquid over each shank and serve.