Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 6 lamb shanks, about 7-1/2 pounds total
Salt and pepper (freshly ground) to taste
½ cup olive oil
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, peeled, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
3 sprigs fresh marjoram
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoons brined green peppercorns
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry
3 whole heads garlic, unpeeled, cut crosswise
2 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoons sugar
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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Directions: |
Directions:Season lamb shanks liberally with salt and pepper. With a sharp knife, aiming about 1 inch from the bottom (narrow end) of the shank bones, cut through the meat and tendon, down to the bone and all the way around; this will help the meat to plump up attractively when cooked. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the shanks and brown them all over, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the celery, carrot and onion to the pan and cook over medium heat until very soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stirring well to coat the vegetables, and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the marjoram, bay leaves, peppercorns, anchovy and garlic, then cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the white wine, vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the broth, water, coriander, paprika, cumin, cayenne and cinnamon. Stir well and return to the boil. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Return shanks to the roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer the pan to the oven and braise for 1 hour. Remove the foil and braise for 3 more hours, turning the shanks over every half-hour, until the meat is very tender. (If not serving immediately, let cool, cover and refrigerate for a few days or freeze for up to 1 month. De-fat and reheat before proceeding.) Remove the shanks from the braising liquid and set aside on a plate, covered with foil to keep them warm. Strain the liquid into a bowl and let it rest for a few minutes. Use a large spoon to skim off any fat that rises to the top surface.
To serve, place a shank on each of 6 warm dinner plates or wide shallow bowls, and spoon some braising liquid on top. Next day, if you have any remaining shanks, bone them, shred the meat and refrigerate in the braising liquid. This is delicious reheated and served over couscous or bulgar for a quick lunch. |
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Notes: |
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Notes: This recipe appeared at a most fortuitous time in a magazine review of Tom Valenti’s Soups, Stews, and One-Pot Meals – a day when we were looking for an unusual dish to prepare for company, and a dish which also met the requirements for a diabetic diet. The first time we prepared this, it took a whole day to find the ingredients. Now we know that Kosher butchers usually carry lamb shanks, also that brined green peppercorns are often found next to bottled capers in gourmet shops. It’s a recipe with a steep learning curve: 6 hours shopping plus 8 hours of cooking the first time; one hour shopping and 5 hours of cooking the second time.
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This recipe for Moroccan Lamb Shanks is from