I love this time of year!  Sure it can be tough to get out there but when you do you feel so great for doing so!  It's not about your pace, its not about your effort, hey when it is -20 it's just a joy to move outside:)  I simply love it! 

One of the other great things about this time of year is the good food and the joy of preparing it!  Because let's fact it when it is -20 out there you are not going to be out there for 4+ hours!  So it gives you some extra time to prepare some a great meal!  Below is a new recipe I found in the Globe and Mail last week - give it a try after a good ski or base run it tastes mighty fine!

Cheers and Enjoy!

Spiced Braised Lamb Shanks

From the Globe and Mail Saturday, December 6^th 2008

Lucy Waverman article “Weekend Menu”

Ingredients:

1 tsp ground cumin

1tsp ground ginger

1tsp paprika

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp cayenne

3tbsp olive oil

4 lamb shanks

Salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

2tsp chopped garlic

1tsp dried rosemary

1cup red wine

1tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 ½ cup chicken or beef stock(lo-sodium if using canned or store bought)

1tbsptomato paste

1 bay leaf

Putting it together

Preheat oven to 300 F. Combine cumin, ginger, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and cayenne. Rub shanks with 2 tsp of spice mixture.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in skillet or Dutch oven (this is where I loved using my new and beautifully blue French……..) on medium-high heat.  Brown shanks in batches on all sides, about 2mins/side.  Season with salt and pepper and put aside.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  Sauté until onion browns slightly, about 5mins.  Add remaining spice mixture, rosemary and thyme and sauté for 30 sec.  Add red wineand bring to boil.  Add balsamic vinegar, stock, tomato paste and bay leavf and bring to a boil.  Return meat to pan.  Bake for 2-2 ½ hours or until meat is tender.  Remove meat and put aside.  Discard bay leaf pour stock and vegetables into a food processor and blend until smooth.  Pour sauce back into pan and place on stove over high heat and reduce until sauce lightly coats a spoon. Place shanks on baking sheet and bake at 400 F for 15mins and then return to pot and let sauce and lamb simmer together for 15mins.

You can serve this over couscous, brown rice, wild rice or orzo.  Compliment this meal with some green color such as green beans or asparagus and enjoy!