Everyone has his or her own favorite recipes, the ones you make for holiday dinners or take to a friend’s home. But do you ever wonder what dishes our top local chefs prefer?
A native of Davidsonville, Md., Chef Mills is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and executive chef at Wit & Wisdom, Michael Mina’s upscale American tavern located in the Four Seasons Hotel.
“I enjoy braised meats during the fall and winter months. There’s something comforting about it and cassoulet is one of my all-time favorite staples that I learned to make back in culinary school. Once it’s braised, it’s just as good for the next few days. As far as pairings, I always go with an earthy Old World red like a Rosso di Montalcino.”
Wit & Wisdom’s Braised Lamb Shank
Ingredients
- 4 shanks lamb
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 bottle white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 oz. chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Sea Island Pea Cassoulet
- 1 lb. black-eyed peas dried
- 3 tsp. canola oil
- 1/8 cup fennel small dice
- 1/8 cup carrot peeled and dried
- 1/8 cup onion diced small
- 1/8 cup celery diced small
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 16 oz. pureed tomato
- 28 oz. chicken stock
- 1 sprig rosemary chopped
- 1 sprig thyme chopped
- 1 tbs. sherry vinegar
Herb Breadcrumbs
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tbs. butter
- 1/2 tsp. chopped thyme
- 1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary
- 1 tsp. chopped tarragon
- 3 tsp. chopped parsley
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
Roasted Turnips
- 2 lbs. baby turnips stems removed and cut in half
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tbs. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
Instructions
Lamb Shank
- Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large, deep saute pan to medium.
- In batches, sear shanks well on all sides and place into a roasting pan.
- Place sliced onions into the saute pan and turn to low heat.
- Allow onions to caramelize then add white wine and reduce by half.
- Add chicken stock, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.
- Pour liquid over the shanks.
- Cover roasting pan with tin foil and cook in a 275-degree oven for 4 hours or until tender.
- Transfer shanks to a platter to cool.
- Reduce liquid until thickened, and spoon over shanks.
- Garnish shanks with herb breadcrumbs and serve with Sea Island Pea Cassoulet and Roasted Turnips.
Sea Island Pea Cassoulet
- Cover peas in water and allow to soak for at least 12 hours before use.
- In a large, round pan, heat canola oil and saute fennel, carrots, onions, celery and garlic for 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt; add peas and saute for 5 more minutes.
- Add tomato puree and chicken stock to cover peas. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Liquid will start to thicken.
- Add chopped herbs and sherry vinegar; season with salt if needed.
Herb Breadcrumbs
- Heat over to 250 degrees.
- Bake panko until completely dry.
- Allow to cool and then pulse in a food processor until the crumbs are very fine.
- In a medium pan, heat butter. Add all of the herbs and allow the flavor to absorb into the butter.
- Add breadcrumbs and stir until lightly toasted.
- Add lemon juice and lemon zest and stir once more to combine.
- Lay on a sheet tray and cool.
Roasted Turnips
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl, toss turnips with 1/4 cup of oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread turnips on baking sheet.
- Add garlic, thyme and bay leaves, and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
- Transfer turnips to a platter and let cool.
Notes
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