A wonderfully fragrant dish of lamb, vegetables, spices and salad that can be enjoyed all year round. You can increase the number of shanks to eight to feed more and not have to adjust the rest of the recipe because it makes so much veggie rich sauce.
| Servings | 4 |
| Preparation time | 20 mins |
| Cooking time | 180 mins |
INGREDIENTS
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped, 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4cm knob of ginger, finely sliced
- Pinch of saffron threads
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 3 carrots, diced, 2 swedes, diced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
- ½ medium Kent pumpkin, peeled diced
- 2 tablespoons preserved lemon, chopped
- 1 pomegranate, peeled
- ½ bunch coriander, trimmed
- Salad:
- 2 tablespoons butter, 1 stock cube
- 1 cup pearl cous cous
- 1 bunch parsley, leaves picked, ½ cup mint leaves, chopped
- 2 spring onions, chopped, 1 small onion, finely sliced
- 2 lemons, juiced, and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
- Season the lamb shanks well with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy based pot over medium high heat. Brown the shanks in the pot for 10 minutes each side to brown all over. Remove and set aside. Add the onion to the pot and cook for several minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic, ginger, saffron, cinnamon and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring frequently for several minutes until the aroma is released from the spices. Add the carrots and swedes and cook for several minutes, stirring regularly. Add the chicken stock. Deglaze. Return the lamb to the pot with the chickpeas, liquid and all, and when boiling, reduce heat cover and simmer for 2 hours stirring occasionally. Add the pumpkin and cook for another 30 minutes.
- While the shanks are cooking make the salad. Heat the butter in a medium pan over medium high heat and add the cous cous. Cook, stirring until it begins to brown. Add 4 cups boiling water and the stock cube. Cook on medium high for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain. Allow to cool. Mix through the parsley, spring onion, onion, mint, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Check for seasoning.
- Mix the preserve lemon through the lamb and sprinkle over the coriander leaves and pomegranate. Serve the lamb with the salad.
