Lamb Cassoulet with White Beans and Rosemary

by Rod Long
(Seattle)

1 pound dried white beans soaked in water to cover overnight and drained.
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 meaty lamb shanks - fat trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium onion - coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves - minced
4 medium carrots - coarsely chopped
4 celery stalks - coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves - finely chopped
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes -(1 can) to 32-ounces, with the juice
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
TOPPING:
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 garlic cloves - minced
1/2 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley

Place the beans in the insert of a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the meat evenly with the salt and pepper. Add as many lamb shanks as will fit in a single layer and brown on all sides. Transfer the browned shanks to the slow-cooker insert. Brown any remaining shanks and transfer them to the slow-cooker insert.

Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and rosemary to the same skillet and saute until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of the chicken broth to the skillet and heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the tomato mixture to the slow cooker insert and stir in the remaining broths, and the bay leaf. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 to 8 hours or LOW for 10 to 12 hours, until the beans and lamb are tender.

Combine all the ingredients for the topping in a small bowl while the lamb is cooking. Cover and refrigerate.

Uncover the cooker and spoon off any fat on the surface. Taste and adjust with the seasoning. Sprinkle the topping over the cassoulet, cover, and cook on HIGH another 30 minutes.

You can cook in the oven at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours covered. Remove lid or foil during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Baste every 30 minutes and check liquid.