Lamb Shanks and Couscous Salad recipes | Chef Janet Loughran on Talk Pittsburgh
Chef Janet Loughran is back in the kitchen with dinner! She's making lamb shanks and couscous salad, which you can prepare for dinner yourself tonight!
Lamb Shanks (Osso Bucco Style)
- 4 lamb shanks, about 8-12 oz each
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3 Tbsp oil of choice
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine (Cabernet or Pinot Noir)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 26 oz diced tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400°. Pat, the lamb shanks dry with paper towels. Season the lamb on all sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a heavy bottom ovenproof pan such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and one hot the lamb shanks sear on all sides for a couple of minutes until they are golden and brown.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the garlic and vegetables over medium high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the red wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits. Add the stock, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary, and the shanks back to the pan. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's falling off the bone.
Strain the liquids from the solids and use the liquids as a nice gravy. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest.
Israeli Couscous Salad
Serves 4-6
For the salad:
- 1 cup Israeli couscous (pearl couscous
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced (optional, or sub with green onion for milder flavor)
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1/2 tsp garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add couscous and cook until tender but not mushy (about 8–10 minutes). Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain thoroughly.
Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify.
In a large mixing bowl (or two if needed), combine the cooled couscous, chopped vegetables, and herbs. Pour dressing over and toss well to coat everything evenly.
Let the salad sit, covered, in the fridge for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours). Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.