Passions on the Beach Presents Lam Shanks Braised in Red Wine

This slow-cooked lamb dish by Chef Gerard Coste of the Amsterdam Manor is an homage to Aruba’s innate ability to make you relax.

The two-and-a-half hours it spends braising in the oven gives you plenty of time to enjoy the view, the water, or a pre-dinner glass of that Cabernet Sauvignon that will pair perfectly with the tender meat.

“You can’t make it wrong,” says French Chef Gerard Coste, which is music to a home cook’s ears. In 2017, Coste took over the kitchen at the boutique property, where flagship restaurant Passions on the Beach occupies one of the most gorgeous strips of coastline in the low- rise hotel area. Guests can wiggle their toes in the sand while they enjoy Coste’s refreshing lobster tail tabbouleh salad with watermelon-mango relish; his fish of the day with scallops and shrimp; or this luscious braised lamb.

After working in top kitchens in France, England and Monaco, followed by 30 years on Aruba and eight grandchildren, the passionate chef (pardon the pun) understands the need for relaxation and joie de vivre, which includes simple, elegant and delicious meals. “Braising is an old cooking method popular in France,” he says, and guests at Passions, where this lamb is now on the menu year-round, can understand why. Seared and then cooked slowly in red wine with garlic and fresh rosemary and thyme, the lamb stays juicy and flavorful and all you have to do is leave it alone. While you could accompany it with basic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, the lavender polenta and bacon-wrapped green beans add a little je ne sais quoi – which pairs perfectly with that view.

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