Lamb and Rabbit
4 small, lean lamb shanks, trimmed of visible fat
4 rabbit hind legs
kosher or sea salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry red wine
2 quarts lamb stock or chicken stock
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season lamb and rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart stew pot over medium heat. Brown meat on all sides and remove. Put onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in pot and sauté until they start to brown. Deglaze pan with red wine. Return meats and add stock to pan. Cover and cook in oven for 1 hour. Remove rabbit and refrigerate. Return pot to oven and roast, covered, an additional 2 hours until lamb is fork-tender. At end of cooking time, return rabbit to pot and rewarm in oven.
If the lamb is fatty, before returning the rabbit to the pot, refrigerate lamb and stock liquid until fat solidifies, then spoon off.
Mashed Potatoes
2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 teaspoons puréed chipotles (canned or rehydrated dried chiles)
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream (restaurant uses whipping cream)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
kosher or sea salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, tarragon, and oregano
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil potatoes about 25 minutes, or until tender. Place on a cookie sheet in the oven for 10 minutes to dry. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mash with other ingredients, adding additional liquid if necessary.
To serve, place a mound of mashed potatoes in the center of each plate with vegetables on the outside. Cross a lamb shank and leg of rabbit over the top. Pour pan juices over meat. Serves 4.
