Recipe provided by market customer Enrico Patarini
Serves: 4
Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
For beef shanks:
● 3-4 large carrots*, cut in rough cubes
● 1 large turnip, cut in medium-large cubes
● 1 medium onion*, cut into eighths
● 2 cloves garlic*, cut in large chunks
● 1 beef shank*
● 1 tbsp maple syrup*
● 1 cup of red wine*
● 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
● Salt, to taste
● Parsley* for garnishing
● 2-3 cups water (to mostly cover meat)
For polenta:
● 1 cup dried Abenaki corn*, ground (use blender or food processor)
● 1 cup water + 3 cups water
● ½ cup mozzarella*, cubed
● 1 tbsp salt
Instructions
1. Lay down a thin layer of onion, carrot, and turnip. Place the shank on top of that. Fill in around the sides with the remaining onion, carrot, and turnip to fill the crock pot.
2. Sprinkle garlic on top and pour red wine on meat. Then splash balsamic vinegar and maple syrup on meat. Add salt and seasonings of choice (rosemary or Italian seasoning fit great) sprinkled over meat.
3. Put the crock pot on medium-low heat. Add water to cover about three-quarters of the meat. Add the lid. Leave it going for 4.5 to 5.5 hours, flipping meat and stirring veggies every hour or so. It’s done when a fork will pull away the meat from the bone without a knife.
4. For the polenta: Combine a cup of cornmeal with 1 cup of water in a bowl and stir together into a paste. Bring the other 3 cups of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt.
5. Once the water is boiling, add the corn paste to the boiling water. Stir around with a wooden spoon and try to keep it from sticking to sides. Turn heat to medium and keep it at a low boil. After 5 or so minutes of intermittent stirring it should be one mass.
6. Add in mozzarella, continue stirring for 1-2 minutes and turn off the heat once the chunks start to melt in. Leave it on the hot burner for 5-10 minutes to dry out a little more. Done when set.
