MATT - YOU ASKED AND HERE YOU GO!

Thanks to Chef Anthony Cecala in Reno.

Three great cold weather comfort foods.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Ingredients

Brine:

1 gallon water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup salt

4 to 6 lamb shanks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Granulated garlic, to taste

All-purpose flour, to coat

2 to 3-ounces virgin olive oil

1 (96-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 bulb fresh fennel, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup red wine

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

1/2 cup freshly chopped oregano leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

Italian Cheese, for garnish

Directions

For the brine:

Place the water, sugar, and salt into a large container. Carefully add the lamb shanks and soak for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove shanks from the brine and pat dry. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic, to taste.

Coat shanks with flour and saute in 2 to 3-ounces of virgin olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes each side.

Place the shanks in a roasting pan with the crushed tomatoes.

In same saute pan that the shanks were seared in, saute the carrots, celery stalks, onion, fresh fennel and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and add to the roasting pan.

Deglaze saute pan with 1 cup each red wine and orange juice. Reduce by half and add to roasting pan.

Add 1/2 cup each fresh Italian parsley and fresh oregano to roasting pan. Cover and roast in oven for 2 hours or until tender. After 1 hour, turn shanks and cover for remaining time, making sure shanks are covered in the gravy.

Garnish with fresh oregano sprigs and parsley and your favorite Italian cheese. Best served with polenta!

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

5 pounds beef short ribs

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, sliced

3 large carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

4 cups Beef Stock

1 cup dry red wine

2 cloves garlic

Directions

Coat the ribs with the flour and seasonings as desired.

Heat the oil in an 8-quart saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the ribs in 2 batches and cook until they're well browned on all sides. Remove the ribs with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Add the onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and rosemary. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the beef broth and wine. Return the beef to the pot. Heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Duck Confit

Yield 6 legs

1 large head garlic, left unpeeled, plus 4 large cloves, divided

4 cup kosher salt

1 cups Sugar

1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

1 teaspoon Juniper Berry crushed

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 bay leaves, crumbled

6 fresh Moulard, Muscovy, duck legs

2 whole cloves

12 oz containers rendered duck fat

Method

Mash 4 garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of kosher salt. Stir together paste, kosher salt (1/4 cup), thyme, Juniper Berries, shallots, and bay leaves in a large bowl. Add duck legs and toss to coat, then marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

Wipe off marinade with paper towels.

Melt duck fat in a wide large heavy pot over low heat, then cook garlic head and duck legs, covered with foil over low heat in the oven for 12 hours at 165 F. Let Duck rest and cool in duck fat before removing.

Transfer duck with a slotted spoon to a large bowl (reserve garlic for another use if desired). Slowly pour duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a large crock or deep bowl, leaving any cloudy liquid or meat juices in bottom of pot, then pour strained fat over duck legs to cover by 1 inch. (If necessary, shorten drumstick bones 1 to 2 inches using a large heavy knife to fit legs more tightly in bowl.) Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Just before serving, remove duck from fat (reserve fat for another use, such as frying), scraping off most of fat, then cook, skin side down, in a large heavy nonstick skillet over low heat, covered, until skin is crisp and duck is heated through, 15 to 20 minutes