This recipe, adapted from Chef Adam Zieminski of cafeADAM, pairs braised beef shanks with buttery eggplant and an uncommon bean called the scarlet runner. Although these extra- large beans can be ordered online, great northern beans can substitute.
The braising time may be long, but the prep work is not overly burdensome, and the end result is worth the wait. Serve this comfort food with polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 to 1½ pounds grass- fed beef shanks, crosscut with the bone at the center
2½ ounces bacon, diced small
1 eggplant, partially peeled and ½- inch diced
2 medium onions, diced
5 celery ribs, ½- inch diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and ½- inch diced
½ medium fennel bulb, ½- inch diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tablespoons minced fresh flat- leaf parsley, plus 2 tablespoons chopped for garnish
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon minced celery leaves
½ cup dry white wine, such as chardonnay or pinot grigio
½ cup Worcestershire sauce, plus more to taste
1 cup dried scarlet runner beans or great northern beans
3 cups veal, beef, or chicken stock, heated to a simmer
2 medium heirloom tomatoes, diced
1. Heat the olive oil in a 2- gallon Dutch oven or similar heavy- bottomed saucepan over medium heat until shimmering and fragrant. Combine the salt and pepper in a small pinch bowl and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the shanks. Working in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, brown the shanks until they have a dark brown crust on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. In the same pot, sauté the chopped bacon until the fat is mostly rendered, about 2 minutes. Add the eggplant, onions, celery, carrots, and fennel and sauté until all are slightly softened. Add the garlic, 1½ tablespoons of the parsley, and the rosemary, thyme, and celery leaves and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pot with the white wine and Worcestershire sauce, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the dried beans to the pot and mix into the vegetables. Nestle the shanks in the vegetables, avoiding overlap if possible. Add the heated stock to the pot and pile the tomatoes on top of the shanks. Put the lid on the pot and simmer gently, adjusting the heat level as necessary, until the beans are soft and the meat falls off the bone, 4 to 5 hours, stirring gently a few times during cooking. If the liquid is not reducing, set the lid askew or remove entirely for the second half of the simmering time.
4. Using tongs, remove the bones from the pot and place on a small plate. If the marrow is still present in the center of the bone, push it out with a small spoon onto the plate and discard the bone. Eat the marrow immediately as a cook’s treat, or press it into a paste with the back of the spoon and mix it back into the pot.
5. Season the braise before serving, if necessary, with additional salt, pepper, and a splash of the Worcestershire sauce. Break up the meat into smaller pieces as needed for portioning. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley for garnish.
– Riiska Brook Orchard
Adam Zieminski, chef-owner of cafeADAM in Great Barrington, trained in Michelin-starred kitchens before returning to his Berkshires roots. Committed to seasonal, local ingredients and sustainable sourcing, Zieminski creates modern European cuisine that reflects the region’s rich agricultural bounty. He’s a passionate advocate for local food and a longtime supporter of area farms and producers.