Moroccan Lamb Shanks

Braised with Dried Fruits

Ingredients

Directions

2 Tbs. olive oil 1 small onion--grated 1 Tbs. minced garlic 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground coriander ½ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 4 lamb shanks, ¾ to 1lb. each 2 Tbs. olive oil 2 cups sliced onion ¾ cup Tawny Port or other sweet wine such as Madeira 1¾ cups beef broth peel of 1 lemon 3 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger ¾ cup bite-sized pitted prunes ¾ cup Calmyrna figs, halved, or whole small Mission figlets ½ cup dried apricots juice of ½ lemon 2 Tbs. honey or brown sugar

Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl and coat meat with this mixture; can be marinated several hours or overnight, or proceed immediately with cooking. Preheat oven to 350. Heat additional olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the lamb shanks on all sides, two at a time (takes about 8 minutes per pair), and then remove to a platter. Add onions and carrots to pot and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions are nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits in bottom of the pot, then add the beef broth and lemon peel. Bring to a simmer, put the lamb shanks back in the pot in one layer, spooning the sauce and vegetables over them. Bake for 90 minutes, opening the oven a couple of times to turn the lamb and admire your progress. Add chopped ginger, dried fruits, lemon juice, and honey or sugar, and bake another 30 minutes. Remove meat and fruits to a deep serving dish. Reduce sauce over high heat about 5 minutes until it turns a rich glossy brown. Pour sauce over the lamb and serve, or cool and refrigerate for tomorrow, when flavors will be even better.

Return to Sheep's Creek Farm Lamb Recipes page.