Lamb Shanks With Apricots And Chickpeas Recipes

LAMB TAGINE WITH CHICKPEAS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Sear lamb on all sides until brown crust develops. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add an additional tablespoon of oil if needed. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, ginger, and ground spices. Saute for 1 minute more.
• Spoon the onion mixture into the bottom of a tagine. To this, add the tomatoes, chickpeas, and apricots.
• Arrange the lamb shanks on top of this mixture and then pour in the 2 cups of chicken stock- you may need a little more or less depending on the size of your lamb. Lightly stir the sauce mixture underneath the lamb to combine the flavors a bit, and spoon some of the onion mixture over the top of the lamb.
• Cover your tagine with it's lid and bake in the oven for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until lamb is fork-tender.
• Taste sauce (carefully) and season with additional salt to taste.
• Garnish with cilantro if desired.
• Serve with couscous.

LAMB TAGINE WITH CHICKPEAS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Place chickpeas in a medium saucepan. Add water to cover by 2". Let soak overnight.
• Drain chickpeas; return to same saucepan. Add 2 whole garlic cloves and cinnamon stick. Add water to cover by 2". Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until chickpeas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain; set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown lamb on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to a medium bowl. Add onion to pot; reduce heat to medium, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic, Ras-el-Hanout , and ginger. Stir for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and lamb with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil. Add 2 1/2 cups stock. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lamb is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Stir in chickpeas; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Stir in apricots; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon couscous onto a large, shallow platter, forming a large well in center. Spoon tagine into center. Sprinkle cilantro over.

MOROCCAN LAMB SHANKS WITH CHICKPEAS AND DATES

Steps:

• Soak chickpeas overnight covered in cold water by 2 inches. Drain.
• In a mortar, mash garlic, paprika, ginger, coriander, nutmeg, lemon juice, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of cloves with a pestle until a thick paste forms.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Cook until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer lamb to a plate.
• Add onion and celery to pot, and cook until light gold, about 5 minutes. Stir in spice paste, and cook 2 minutes. Add chickpeas and water, reduce heat to medium-low, season with salt, and gently simmer for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Add lamb and cinnamon stick to pot, and return to a simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until lamb is fork-tender, about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Add dates, and cook for 15 minutes. Skim fat from sauce, and discard. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

LAMB SHANKS WITH CHICKPEAS & MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain, tip into a saucepan and cover generously with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, simmer for 45 minutes and drain.
• Heat the oil in a large casserole and brown the lamb all over. Remove and set aside. Pour off most of the fat, leaving 1 tablespoon in the dish, add the onions and fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3/fan oven 140C. Mix together the ginger, garlic, chillies, cumin, coriander, pepper and paprika. Add half of this to the onions, tip in the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Put in the lamb and chickpeas, cover generously with water (about 850ml/11⁄2 pints), bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and cook in the oven for 11⁄2-2 hours until the chickpeas are really tender. (You can prepare up to this stage the day before. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Bring back to simmering point before starting step 4.)
• Remove from the oven and stir in the remaining spice mixture, the saffron and cinnamon, carrots, apricots, honey and salt. Cover and return to the oven for 45 minutes-1 hour until the lamb is tender and the vegetables cooked. Scatter the almonds and coriander on top.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH GREEN OLIVES AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• First off, you want to marinate the lamb shanks for a few hours to really penetrate the deep flavor; the wine also tenderizes the meat. Put the shanks in a large glass bowl and season with salt and pepper. Break up the thyme and rosemary with your hands to release the oils and toss them on top of the lamb. Add the lemon peel, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sugar. Pour in the bottle of wine, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.
• Line a few layers of paper towels on the counter. Pull the lamb shanks out of the wine marinade (reserving it for later), and lay them out on the paper towels, cover with more paper towels and pat the meat dry really well. Put the flour in a large shallow platter and season it with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Dredge the lamb shanks in the seasoned flour; tapping off the excess.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sear the lamb shanks, turning carefully with tongs, so all sides are a brown caramel color. Drizzle with a little more oil if needed. Do this in batches if the shanks are big and look crowded in the pot. Strain marinade reserving the wine. Add the wine, remaining 2 sticks of cinnamon, remaining 2 sprigs of thyme and the stuff from the marinade. Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Pour in the stock and add the onions, carrots, olives, and apricots; bring to a boil. Cover the pot. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer the lamb shanks to a large platter. Spoon the onions, olives, and apricots over them. Strain the braising juices and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the platter and serve with some crusty bread.

LAMB SHANKS BRAISED WITH APRICOTS AND NORTH AFRICAN SPICES

Steps:

• Combine the cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, ginger, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, coriander and fennel in a spice grinder and grind until fine and well mixed. Measure out 3 tablespoons and reserve the rest for another use.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large roasting pan over medium-high heat. Season the shanks with the salt, place in the pan and sear on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside the shanks. Turn the heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, the garlic and onions. Cook until browned, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth, raise the heat and deglaze the pan. Stir in the spice mixture and the apricots. Put the shanks back in the pan.
• Cover with foil and roast until the meat is very soft, turning the shanks frequently and spooning the liquid over them, about 2 1/2 hours. Take out the shanks and degrease the sauce. Stir in the thyme and salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide the shanks among 4 plates and spoon the sauce over them. Serve with couscous or potatoes.

LAMB SHANKS WITH CHICKPEAS AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Finely slice the red onions and crush the garlic. mince up the anchovies.
• Combine with the chickpeas, lamb shanks, tin tomatoes, chili and rosemary in a slow-cooker or casserole dish.
• Season with salt and pepper. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, or in the oven at 180C for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. You might need to add stock or water if cooking in the oven.
• Five minutes before serving stir through the pitted green olives coarsely chopped, and just before serving finish with stirring in the lemon zest and chopped parsley.

INDIAN-STYLE LAMB SHANKS WITH DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot and then add the garlic, ginger, onion and chilli.
• Cook for a few minutes to soften the onion and then add the fennel, turmeric and cardamom.
• Next add the lamb shanks coating well with spice mixture and cook for 5 minutes.
• Now add the honey, tomato paste, canned tomatoes and water and bring to the boil and lower to a simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender (I prefer nearly falling of the bone).
• Alternatively you could put it in a 160c fan forced or 180C non-fan forced oven for the 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
• Add the yoghurt and apricots and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Stir through the coriander leaves just before serving.
• Recommend serving with basmati rice and spicy chutney.