Ten-Hour Braised Lamb Neck with Wilted Creasy Greens (Gourmet Magazine)

Serves 4

* Active time:45 min
* Start to finish:10 1/2 hr

October 2009

For Lamb Neck

* 2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
* 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
* 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
* 1 1/2 lb lamb neck
* 3 cups Pinot Noir or other light red wine
* 3 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or lamb stock

For Greens

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 6 cups creasy greens, tender arugula, or watercress, tough stems discarded

*
Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle.
*
BRAISE LAMB:
Put carrots, celery, and onion in a small roasting pan or baking dish slightly larger than lamb neck. Season lamb neck with ¾ tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and put on top of vegetables. Bake, uncovered, 6 hours.
*
About 30 minutes before lamb is done, boil wine in a 2-qt heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1½ cups, about 10 minutes. Add stock and return to a boil.
*
Remove lamb from oven and pour wine mixture into roasting pan. Cover pan with foil and braise in oven until meat is almost falling off the bone, about 4 hours more.
*
Remove lamb neck from braising liquid and use a fork to scrape meat away from bones (you should have about 3 cups meat).
*
COOK GREENS
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then cook greens with a large pinch of salt and pepper, tossing, until just wilted, about 1 minute.
*
Serve lamb with greens.

COOKS' NOTE: Lamb can be braised 2 days ahead and cooled in braising liquid, then chilled (covered once cool). Reheat in braising liquid, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven for 30 minutes before scraping meat from bones and serving.

http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/adventureswithruth/2009/10/braised-lamb