FROM SARAH WELCH OF MARROW
Recipe adapted from “Lamb Shank Tagine with Dates” from David Tanis of The New York Times
Ingredients
- 3 large lamb shanks, about 4½ pounds
- Salt and pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 large carrot, sliced into rounds
- 1 tablespoon chipotle
- 12-inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2-inch chunk of fresh ginger, cut into thin slices
- ½ cup chopped dates of any kind, plus 24 whole Medjool dates
- 2 quarts bone broth
- ⅛ cup fine-diced preserved lemon
- ¼ cup chopped oregano
- ½ cup Marcona almonds
- Buckwheat Choux-tons (recipe below)
Preparation
STEP 1: Season shanks generously with salt, pepper, garlic, fresh ginger, paprika and cumin, smeared over shanks. Leave shanks at room temperature to season overnight (minimum).
STEP 2: In a smoker, or using a smoke gun, lightly smoke lamb shanks at 150°F for an hour. Then, in a heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and chipotle and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until somewhat softened. Lower heat to medium, add seasoned shanks and let cook with onions, turning occasionally, until meat and onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
STEP 3: Heat oven to 400°F. Add cinnamon stick, ginger and half of chopped dates. Cover with bone broth to barely cover. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn heat down to 350°. Check sauce and add water if the level of liquid is below meat. Continue baking for another hour, checking liquid level occasionally, then test meat by probing with a skewer or paring knife. It should be quite tender and almost falling from the bone.
STEP 4: Remove meat from the pot and place in a deep, wide serving bowl. Add remaining dates, ½ of the preserved lemon and ½ of the oregano to the pot and simmer for a few minutes to reduce sauce slightly. Pour sauce back over lamb. Sprinkle Marcona almonds, remaining lemon and oregano on the top. Then top with choux-tons and enjoy!
