Braised Lamb Shanks with Toasted Almond Gremolata
Diane's RecipesServes 6 to 8
After college I lived in Paris for a year studying cooking, checking out open-air markets and making friends with the growers. At that time an open-air market was truly a special event, certainly to a Californian. My husband and I would walk around the St. Michel area trying to decide where the most delicious platters of couscous could be found. Tiny Moroccan bistros stood side-by-side middle eastern pastry shops laden with candies, baklava and other exotic treats.
In our favorite little haunt, lamb was often placed in the center of a large mound of couscous along with vegetables and potatoes. A bowl of spicy Harrisa sauce accompanied the couscous. Here I have added a little twist of a Moroccan style gremolata, that famous Italian topping often found perfuming braised Osso Buco. Try this for a dinner party and serve with Couscous with Currants and Mint and Braised Spinach with Lemon and Roasted Garlic.
6 lamb shanks, about 1 1/4 pounds each, cut at the shank part
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup full-bodied red wine, like merlot or zinfandel
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28 ounce can Fire-Roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Gremolata
1/3 cup thinly sliced almonds or chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons finely chopped mint
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped orange zest
1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper evenly.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a very large heavy casserole, (enamel works well) on medium-high heat. Brown the lamb shanks in two batches for about 8-10 minutes or until all the sides are nicely browned. Place in a bowl and reserve.
3. Discard all the drippings and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onions and carrots until lightly browned and softened, about 4-6 minutes. Add the garlic and all of the spices and sauté for another minute or until very fragrant, stirring constantly.
4. Add the wine, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the browned lamb shanks in the casserole, making sure that they are all covered halfway in the liquid. Cover and braise in the oven for about 3 hours, turning them every hour. They meat should be extremely tender.
5. While the lamb Is cooking make the gremolata: Place the almonds in a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and toast them, moving them around constantly, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Place in a small bowl and Cool. Combine all the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Reserve.
6. When the shanks are cooked, place them on a serving platter and cover with foil. Strain the sauce into a bowl and skim the fat from the juices. Return the vegetables and defatted juices to the casserole and reduce the sauce on high heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Return the shanks to the casserole and make sure they are very hot.
7. Place the shanks and sauce on the platter and sprinkle the gremolata evenly on top. Serve immediately.
Advance Preparation: This may be prepared 2 days completely ahead, covered and refrigerated. Add the gremolata just before serving. It is best to make the gremolata the same day so the herbs will be fresh.
Keywords: lamb, moroccan, gremolata
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