Moroccan Lamb Shanks Recipe
- Servings: 4
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 Hours
This recipe uses a low and slow braise in aromatic Moroccan spices to transform tough, but flavorful lamb shanks into tender, fall off the bone meat. We recommend using New Zealand grass-fed lamb for the best results. Serve with an almond-herb couscous for a delicious and hearty meal.
Ingredients:
For the Lamb Shanks:
- 4 Taste Pure Nature certified grass-fed lamb shanks (about 4-5lbs)
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon harissa paste
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
For the Couscous:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1½ cups couscous
- 1½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Almond-Herb Mixture:
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
- ½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
For the Lamb:
- 1. Preheat the oven to 300°F
- 2. Meanwhile, pat the lamb shanks dry and remove any silver skin with a sharp knife. Season liberally all over with kosher salt.
- 3. Heat a 6-quart dutch oven over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Working two at a time, sear the lamb shanks sear until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Set the seared lamb shanks aside to a large plate.
- 4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the dutch oven and sauté the onion and carrots until they are softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- 5. Stir in the garlic, ginger,[cumin, coriander, turmeric] , allspice, tomato paste, and harissa and cook for 1 minute.
- 6. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, yogurt, and dried apricots to the dutch oven, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 7. Return the lamb shanks and any accumulated juices to the dutch oven, nestling them together.
- 8. Cover the dutch oven with a lid and place in the oven for about 3-4 hours or until meat is fork tender, checking occasionally.
- 9. Remove from the oven and place the lamb shanks on a large plate, tented with foil.
- 10. Place the dutch oven (lid removed) over medium-low heat and allow sauce to reduce while you assemble the couscous.
For the Almond-Herb mixture:
- 11. In a small bowl, mix together the almonds, cilantro, mint, and lemon zest and season with a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
For the Couscous:
- 12. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil and the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the couscous and cook for another 2-3 minutes until lightly browned and toasty smelling. Add the chicken stock and kosher salt, bring to a boil, then tightly cover and remove from heat. Wait 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and stir in half of the almond-herb mixture
- 13. To finish the sauce, blend using an immersion blender directly in the dutch oven until desired consistency is reached.
- 14. To serve, mound couscous on plates, top each with a lamb shank, then spoon on sauce and sprinkle with remaining almond-herb mixture, along with a dollop of extra yogurt if you like.