Persian Style Lamb With Almonds Recipes

PERSIAN LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy based pot over medium high heat. Brown shanks all over, 2 at a time. Remove from pot.
• Discard excess oil, clean pot if it's very dirty.
• Add 1 tbsp oil. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes until translucent.
• Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, tomatoes, and salt.
• Add chicken broth and stir well.
• Place shanks in pot, then add water as needed so the shanks are 3/4 or fully covered, but no more than 1L/4 cups water. (Note 2)
• If shanks not fully submerged, make a cartouche (baking paper lid, Note 3).
• Bring up to the boil. Place the cartouche snugly on surface (if using), cover pot leaving a little crack (to ensure it doesn't boil over).
• Turn heat down so simmering very gently. Cook 1.5 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
• Add cardamom and nutmeg into liquid.
• Cook for another 1 hour until meat is very tender and falling off the bone.
• Carefully remove meat from liquid into a bowl and cover with foil.

FLAVORFUL PERSIAN BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over lamb shanks and cover with salt.
• Mix turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cumin, and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over lamb shanks. Let lamb shanks marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot. Cook and stir onion until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Whisk hot water, lime juice, rose water, and saffron together in a small bowl. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook lamb shanks in batches until browned, 5 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb shanks to a plate.
• Whisk wine into the pot, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Add onion and garlic mixture, steeped saffron mixture, parsley, thyme, lime zest, and bay leaves. Return lamb shanks to the pot. Cover with chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until lamb shanks are tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Uncover pot and simmer until broth reduces slightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer lamb shanks to an oven-safe dish.
• Place lamb shanks in the preheated oven to keep warm.
• Bring broth to a boil; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Spoon broth over lamb shanks.

ROYAL PERSIAN LAMB

Steps:

• Put the garlic, ginger and almonds and 6 tablespoons of water into the container of an electric blender. Blend until you have a paste.
• Put the oil in a wide, heavy, preferably non-stick pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in just enough meat pieces so they lie uncrowded in a single layer. Brown the meat pieces on all sides, then remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl. Brown all the meat this way.
• Put the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon into the hot oil. Within seconds, the cloves will expand. Now put in the onions. Stir and fry the onions until they turn a brownish color.
• Turn the heat down to medium. Put in the paste from the blender as well as the coriander, cumin and cayenne. Stir and fry this mixture for 3-4 minutes or until it too has browned somewhat.
• Now put in the meat cubes as well as any liquid that might have accumulated in the meat bowl, the salt, the cream and 120 ml of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low and simmer or cook in a preheated oven (180 C), for 1.5 hour until the meat is tender. Stir frequently during this cooking period. Skim off any fat that floats to the top. Sprinkle in the garam masala and mix.
• Note: The whole spices in this dish are not meant to be eaten.
• Persian Curries are served traditionally with flat bread only but we have found that it is perfect with rice or a delicate alternative would is freshly buttered cus cus.

PERSIAN-STYLE LAMB WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, in hot salad oil, cook slivered almonds, stirring until golden brown. Remove almonds to a plate.
• Over medium-high heat, in oil remaining in skillet, cook ground lamb and next 5 ingredients, stirring, until meat is browned, about 10 minutes.
• To lamb, add almonds, lime or lemon juice, and mint. Stir to blend well. Can serve now, or to make a nice presentation, line the platter with spinach leaves; spoon meat mixture onto spinach leaves and garnish with tomato wedges.