Preheat oven to 300º F

This is an aromatic braise with a Middle Eastern flavour. You could probably add eggplant and/or other vegetables to it.

Ingredients:

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp cayenne

6 lamb shanks

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup carrot, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup celery, coarsely chopped

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup red wine

2 ½ cups beef stock

1 ½ tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Vegetable Garnish

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 zucchini, sliced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

12 dried apricots, slivered

Serves 6

Method:

In a small bowl, mix the spices together.

Toss the lamb shanks with 2 tsp of the spice mixture. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a skillet or Dutch oven on med-high heat. Brown lamb shanks in batches on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Set the lamb shanks aside.

Add remaining Tbsp of oil to the pan. Sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until the onion browns slightly (about 5 mins). Add reserved spice mixture; sauté for 30 seconds.

Add red wine and bring to a boil. Add the stock, dried herbs and the lamb shanks to the sauce. Place in oven and bake for 1 ½ hours, or until meat is tender.

Remove meat. Puree the vegetables with some stock in a food processor. Stir back in and reduce until the sauce coats a spoon.

Sauté the vegetables and apricots until crisp-tender (5-8 minutes). return the meat and the vegetables to the sauce. Simmer together for 15 minutes until reheated.

Serve with couscous.

Source: Lucy Waverman’s Home Chef column in an ancient Globe and Mail clipping.