I’m off to get the morning paper. The sun is out, no clouds in the sky. I step outside. I stop. I go inside and then return to the street with a jacket on.
Fall has arrived. Time for warmer foods, fall comfort foods. From Broth and Stock by Jennifer McGruther comes this ideal soup: dense in flavor and color. Beef shank is not a pricey cut of meat. But cooked long enough, falling off the bone long enough, and you have the definition of a “hearty” meal. Here the cooking time is over 3 hours. Fear not. You’ll get to enjoy the smell for hours and that first dip will prove you’ve invested wisely.
You can make this in abundance, storing it in the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Beef Shank with Garlic and Basil
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 pounds beef shanks
- 4 heads garlic, cloves removed, peeled and crushed
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- Juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup finely slice basil leaves
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Warm the olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef shanks, about 6 minutes on all sides. Remove the beef from the pan and add the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté them together until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, and then return the beef to the pan. Stir in the orange zest and the orange juice. Drop in the bay leaves and add the water.
Cover the pot, and bake the shanks in the oven until completely tender, about 3 ½ hours.
Pluck out the bay leaves, sprinkle with basil, and serve warm.
Source: Broth & Stock from The Nourished Kitchen by Jennifer McGruther [Ten Speed Press, 2016]