Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Moroccan-style braised lamb shank
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
30 minutes
30 minutes active + 3–3½ hours braise
Total Time:
Approximately 4 hours
Serves:
4 generous servings (family-style)
The dish Amar chose was not a technical showpiece in the classical sense — it was something more personal. On his first holiday to Morocco, he encountered braised lamb with prunes, cinnamon, and sweet onions for the first time. Growing up Dominican, he had never experienced the marriage of savoury a...
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Ingredients
LAMB
Lamb shanks, bone-in — 4 large (about 1 lb / 450 g each)
Kosher salt — 1½ tsp
Black pepper, freshly ground — 1 tsp
Olive oil — 3 tbsp
AROMATICS & SPICES
Saffron threads — ½ tsp (bloomed in 2 tbsp warm water)
Yellow onions, thinly sliced (sweet variety preferred) — 3 large (approx 4 cups / 400 g)
Garlic cloves, minced — 5 cloves (25 g)
Fresh ginger, finely grated — 1 tbsp (10 g)
Ground turmeric — 1 tsp
Ground Ceylon cinnamon — 1½ tsp
Ras el hanout — 1 tsp
Ground coriander — 1 tsp
Ground cumin — ½ tsp
Cayenne pepper — ¼ tsp
BRAISING LIQUID
Lamb or chicken stock, low-sodium — 2 cups (480 ml)
Honey — 2 tbsp (42 g)
Preserved lemon, rind only, finely minced (optional but recommended) — 1 tbsp (15 g)
PRUNE-ONION MARMALADE
Unsalted butter — 2 tbsp (28 g)
Yellow onion, thinly sliced — 1 large (150 g)
Pitted prunes (dried plums) — 1 cup (170 g)
Ground Ceylon cinnamon — ½ tsp
Honey — 1 tbsp (21 g)
Lemon juice, fresh — 1 tbsp (15 ml)
Salt — pinch, to taste
TO FINISH & SERVE
Whole blanched almonds, toasted — ½ cup (70 g)
Fresh cilantro (or flat-leaf parsley) leaves — ¼ cup, loosely packed (10 g)
Sesame seeds, toasted (optional garnish) — 1 tbsp (9 g)
Couscous, flatbread, or crusty bread — to serve
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Instructions
PREPARE THE SAFFRON BLOOM
Combine saffron threads with 2 tablespoons of warm (not boiling) water in a small bowl. Set aside for at least 10 minutes until the water turns deep amber gold. This releases maximum colour and fragrance from the spice.
SEASON AND SEAR THE LAMB
Pat the lamb shanks completely dry with paper towels. Season aggressively on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based braising pot over high heat until shimmering. Working in batches if needed, sear the shanks for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all surfaces. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer seared shanks to a plate and set aside.
BUILD THE AROMATIC BASE
Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until deeply golden and beginning to caramelise. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add turmeric, cinnamon, ras el hanout, coriander, cumin, and cayenne and stir constantly for 60 seconds to bloom the spices in the fat.
BRAISE THE LAMB
Nestle the lamb shanks back into the pot, overlapping if necessary. Pour in the bloomed saffron and its liquid, followed by the stock and honey. Add the preserved lemon rind if using. The liquid should come roughly halfway up the shanks — add water if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to a 325°F (165°C) oven and braise for 3 to 3½ hours, turning the shanks once halfway through, until the meat is falling off the bone and the braising liquid has thickened. For the overnight method: braise on the stovetop on the lowest possible heat for 3 hours, rest overnight, and gently reheat before service.
MAKE THE PRUNE-ONION MARMALADE
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sliced onion and cook slowly for 20–25 minutes, stirring regularly, until very soft and deeply golden. Add prunes, cinnamon, honey, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring, until the prunes have softened and the mixture is jammy and glossy. Taste and adjust with more lemon or honey. Keep warm.
TOAST THE ALMONDS
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the blanched almonds, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Transfer immediately to a plate to prevent burning.
REST AND REDUCE THE SAUCE
Remove the lamb from the oven. Transfer shanks to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest for 10 minutes. If the braising liquid is thin, simmer over high heat for 5–8 minutes until reduced to a glossy, spoonable sauce. Skim any excess fat from the surface and season to taste.
PLATE AND SERVE
Arrange the shanks in a large serving vessel. Spoon the prune-cinnamon marmalade generously over the top, ladle the reduced braising jus around the base, and scatter toasted almonds and fresh cilantro over the dish. Add sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately with warm couscous, flatbread, or crusty bread.
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