Cheddar Cheese Polenta with Braised Lamb Shanks
Last year I promised to post a photo of my Braised Lamb Shanks with Chipotle Coffee Sauce. Well here it is.
(photo © 2008 Penny Cherubino, all rights reserved
Sometimes the best little luxury is taking time to do the things we love to do for the people we love to share time with.
On Christmas Day I did that. I took the time to cook a great meal and and enjoy it with the best eaters any cook could wish to have.
This time I served the spicy lamb with a cheesy polenta. Here's the recipe for the polenta as a
bonus for waiting for the lamb photo.
Cheddar Cheese Polenta
3 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup instant polenta (the kind that says it takes a 3-4 minutes to cook rather than 20-30 minutes)
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups) (reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Butter a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
2. In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, boil the 3 cups of water, add the salt, and stir in the polenta. Keep stirring until well mixed and you are sure there are no lumps. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Beware of polenta eruptions. It can spatter and burn the cook. I use the cover of my pan like a shield and reach around it to stir. Remove from the heat and stir in the pepper, butter and 1.5 cups of the cheddar.
3. Pour in to the prepared baking dish and
sprinkle with reserved cheddar.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden on top.
Here's a link to the lamb shank recipe.
http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/01/lamb-shanks-bra.html
Update: This photo was selected for publication by foodgawker.com. Welcome to all the visitors from foodgawker.
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