Spiced Lamb Shanks

These were some of the best lamb shanks I have ever eaten from a little restaurant near Christchurch, New Zealand. So good that I had to ask my friends to get the recipe after, we returned to the States.

 SPICED LAMB SHANKS – Serves 4

 

8 lamb shanks

 

Marinade:

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

1 star anise

½ cinnamon stick

2 kaffir lime leaves

1 fresh chilli

1 clove garlic

8 tablespoons olive oil

 

Place all dry spices on roasting tray.  Place in hot oven and cook until brown and aromatic, taking care not to burn.  Place with rest of marinade ingredients (except the oil) into a grinder or pestle & mortar, grind to course powder.  Mix with olive oil to form a paste and rub all over lamb shanks.  Leave for 2 hours, or overnight.

 

Preheat heavy based pan on stove top.  Cook shanks for 4-5 mins until well browned.  Place into casserole, deep enough to cover lamb shanks.

 

Casserole Stock:

2 carrots

3 stalks celery

2 medium onions, unpeeled

1 whole head garlic

1 lemon

2-3 cups of beef stock

2 sprigs of rosemary

3 sprigs of mint

1 teaspoon tomato paste

salt & pepper

 

Roughly chop carrots, onions, celery, garlic and lemon and brown in frying pan, add to casserole with shanks.  Cover shanks with beef stock.  Add rosemary, mint and salt & pepper.  Cover with lid.  Cook in oven at 200º C for 30 mins, then turn down oven to 160º C and cook for 2 ½ - 3 ½ hours until tender.

 

Remove shanks and keep warm.  Strain veges from stock and discard.  Place stock on heat to reduce liquid until it thickens to sauce consistency.  Thicken with cornflour if necessary.

 

Serve cooked shanks on:

Potato mash (flavoured with roast garlic and fresh chopped parsley), honey roasted carrot, parsnip, onion, and fresh steamed green beans.  Ladle shank sauce over the shanks and mash, finishing with crispy parsnips.

Lamb Shanks/Chops in the Crock Pot

I just made some Majorcan Eggplant and the recipe suggested that it would be tasty with lamb. I had two lamb shanks in the freezer, so I put them in the crock pot thinking that I could go to the store and get some more to add to it, but there were no lamb shanks anywhere! Apparently they are strictly a fall item.  I added some lamb chops to the crock pot instead. My house smells so good. mmmm.

4 lamb shanks (or 2 lamb shanks and 3 lamb chops; or two lamb shanks and a 2.5 lb boneless leg roast)
2 lg onions cut into rings
10 cloves of garlic
1 lb sliced mushrooms
1-2 tsp or a couple of glugs of Worcestershire sauce
salt
Trader Joe's South African Smoked Pepper
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
4-5 smallish tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c double-strength beef broth
1/2 c red wine
1 T Herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf

Place the sliced onions on the bottom of the crock pot. Salt and pepper the lamb generously and place on top of the onions. Add the garlic, mushrooms and bay leaf. Sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce.

Mix the tomatoes, beef broth, wine, herbs, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Add to the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serve with Majorcan Eggplant and rice.

Note: You can convert the leftovers into an easy cassoulet. I shredded the remaining meat in the sauce and put it in a casserole dish. I added some broth, white beans and sprinkled the top with bread crumbs. and baked in a 350 oven until everything was nice and bubbly. It was amazing.