Lamb Shanks Braised With Apricots And North African Spices Recipes

MOROCCAN-STYLE LAMB SHANKS WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until they release their aroma for about 1 minute. Stir in the onions, garlic, and sweet potatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so potatoes don't stick.
• Put the lamb shanks in the pot and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, apricots, and harissa. Season with salt and pepper. If mixture seems a bit dry, add a splash of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover. Simmer until meat is tender and falling off the bone, one hour or more, depending on the size of the shanks. Stir occasionally.
• Heat a small skillet over low heat and add the slivered almonds. Stir and cook until almonds are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Place couscous in a large bowl and slowly pour in lukewarm water until just covered. Let sit until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Toss couscous with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toasted almonds. Transfer to a serving dish. Spoon the lamb over the couscous and serve.

LAMB SHANKS WITH CHICKPEAS & MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain, tip into a saucepan and cover generously with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, simmer for 45 minutes and drain.
• Heat the oil in a large casserole and brown the lamb all over. Remove and set aside. Pour off most of the fat, leaving 1 tablespoon in the dish, add the onions and fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3/fan oven 140C. Mix together the ginger, garlic, chillies, cumin, coriander, pepper and paprika. Add half of this to the onions, tip in the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Put in the lamb and chickpeas, cover generously with water (about 850ml/11⁄2 pints), bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and cook in the oven for 11⁄2-2 hours until the chickpeas are really tender. (You can prepare up to this stage the day before. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Bring back to simmering point before starting step 4.)
• Remove from the oven and stir in the remaining spice mixture, the saffron and cinnamon, carrots, apricots, honey and salt. Cover and return to the oven for 45 minutes-1 hour until the lamb is tender and the vegetables cooked. Scatter the almonds and coriander on top.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat one tablespoon of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
• When the oil is hot, place the lamb shanks and season well with salt and pepper. You may work with two shanks at a time.
• Then brown the shanks well on all sides using a pair of tongs. It should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the seared lamb shanks and set aside.
• In the same skillet add the remaining oil and heat it. Then add the sliced onion and sauté until light golden brown.
• Next add the grated garlic and stir couple minutes. Add the Persian spice mix, and turmeric. Then turn of the heat.
• Transfer the lamb shanks and sautéed onion-spice mixture to a heavy bottomed cooking pot. Add the saffron water, lemon juice, bay leaves, thyme (or dill) and the lemon zest.
• Add about 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 1½ to 2 hours until fork tender. The meat should be falling of the bone.
• Adjust the seasonings as per taste.
• Transfer the lamb shanks to a serving dish.
• Cook down the sauce further if it is too thin and then pour it over the lamb shanks. Or you may strain the sauce and then cook it. Discard the bay leaves.
• Tip: You may also cook this from start to finish in a dutch oven or a heavy bottomed pot that heats up well for browning the meat.
• Follow the same instructions as above.And cook the lamb shanks in the oven at 325 degrees F in an oven safe dish making sure to seal it well or use a fitting lid.
• Brown the lambs shanks and prepare the onion-spice-herb mixture. Transfer to slow cooker.
• Add the water and cook according to the instructions for about 4 to 5 hours at high or 6 to 8 hours at low setting.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and cook, in batches if necessary, turning with tongs, until well browned, about 10 minutes each batch. Remove the lamb shanks with tongs to a plate and set aside.
• Stir the onions, carrots, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic into the dutch oven and cook, stirring, until the onions are very soft, about 5 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups of the wine and deglaze the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
• Return the lamb shanks to the pot and braise the mixture, tightly covered, in the oven for 1 hour. Uncover and braise for 2 more hours, turning the shanks every 30 minutes. Stir in the turnips and the remaining 1/2 cup of the wine, and continue to braise, in the oven for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• While the lamb shanks are braising, make the gremolata: chop together the rosemary, orange zest, and garlic. Place each lamb shank on a serving plate, top with the vegetables, sprinkle with gremolata and serve immediately.

MOROCCAN STYLE BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
• Season the shanks with salt and pepper.
• Add the shanks to the casserole, 2 at a time, and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 12 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate and wipe out the casserole.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the casserole.
• Add the onion, carrots and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring about 5 minutes until lightly browned.
• Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and cook, stirring until lightly toasted, about
• 1 minute.
• Add the tomato paste and harissa and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and boil until reduced to a thick syrup, about 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of the chicken stock to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Nestle the lamb shanks in the liquid.
• Cover tightly and braise in the oven for about 3 hours, basting occasionally, until the meat is almost falling off the bone.
• Transfer the shanks to a platter and cover with foil. Leave the oven on.
• Spread the almonds in a pie pan in an even layer and toast for about 10 minutes, or until golden.
• Strain the sauce into a bowl, pressing on the vegetables; skim any fat.
• Return the sauce to the casserole and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes.
• Return the vegetables and lamb to the sauce and keep warm.
• In a small bowl, mix the mint with the cilantro and almonds and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.
• Add the shallot and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the couscous and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock, the water and 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and add the currants.
• Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork and stir in half of the herb-almond mixture.
• Mound the couscous in the center of a large platter.
• Arrange the lamb shanks around the couscous and spoon the sauce on top.
• Sprinkle with the remaining herb-almond mixture and serve.

LAMB SHANKS BRAISED WITH APRICOTS AND NORTH AFRICAN SPICES

Steps:

• Combine the cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, ginger, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, coriander and fennel in a spice grinder and grind until fine and well mixed. Measure out 3 tablespoons and reserve the rest for another use.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large roasting pan over medium-high heat. Season the shanks with the salt, place in the pan and sear on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside the shanks. Turn the heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, the garlic and onions. Cook until browned, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, raise the heat and deglaze the pan. Stir in the spice mixture and the apricots. Put the shanks back in the pan.
• Cover with foil and roast until the meat is very soft, turning the shanks frequently and spooning the liquid over them, about 2 1/2 hours. Take out the shanks and degrease the sauce. Stir in the thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the shanks among 4 plates and spoon the sauce over them. Serve with couscous or potatoes.