The einkorn wheat berries are very similar to farro, in fact, sometimes the names are used interchangeably on packaging (though they probably shouldn't be). But, since farro has been a favorite of mine for years (meaning I've used it enough to be pretty familiar with it), I have noticed a little difference between the two. Einkorn berries seem to be slightly smaller than farro berries, which makes them a little less chewy (one of my favorite things about farro).
And don't be afraid to use the einkorn berries in warm breakfast porridge or hearty salads, they add a nice toothsome sort of comfort to a dish. Speaking of comfort, does it get any more comforting than slow cooked lamb shanks, meat so tender it just falls off the bone, nestled in a rich broth alongside plump einkorn berries (traditionally barley) and floury potatoes?
I hope you'll hop over and visit Lora at Savoring Italy to see what her einkorn experiments yielded month—these fantastic Italian Wine Einkorn Cookies (Ciambelline al Vino Rosso)!
About The Einkorn Experiment:
Join me and Lora of Savoring Italy on the 15th of each month as we experiment with einkorn. Thank you to einkorn.com for providing us with their quality whole grain ancient einkorn wheat berries and all-purpose organic einkorn flour to use in our endeavors. Click here for more einkorn recipes.
yield: serves 4
Lamb Shanks w/ Einkorn & Potatoes
prep time: 15 MINScook time: 3 hour and 35 MINStotal time: 3 hours and 50 mins
Lamb so tender it falls off the bone is the highlight of this comforting spin on the traditional Irish stew that includes einkorn wheat berries, potatoes, and tomatoes.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks
- sea salt (or garlic sea salt in a grinder)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large red onions, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into wedges
- 4 fat cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 4 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1" chunks
- 1/2 cup whole einkorn wheat berries
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 cups lamb stock/broth (or chicken stock)
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 300° F.
- Pour the oil into a Dutch oven or 5 to 6-quart casserole dish set over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper, and when the oil is hot, carefully add to the pan. Cook until the lamb is lightly browned on all sides, ~12 minutes total.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pan and let cook for a couple of minutes. Stir them around, then add the tomatoes, einkorn wheat berries, and honey. Pour the stock/broth over everything and give it a toss so that everything is well distributed, and bring to a boil.
- Put the lid on the pot and slide into the hot oven for 2 1/2 hours.
- Add the potatoes, cover once again, and return to the oven until the potatoes are cooked through and the lamb shanks are meltingly tender, 50 to 60 minutes longer.
©All Roads Lead to the Kitchen. Adapted from Rachel Allen's Lamb shanks with potatoes and pearl barley recipe from her cookbook, Rachel's Irish Family Food.
Created using The Recipes Generator
