Spiced Lamb Stew With Walnuts And Pomegranate Recipes

LAMB TAGINE WITH WALNUTS AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Dredge lamb in flour.
• Heat walnut oil or olive oil in tajine or Dutch oven with tighlly fitting lid. Once oil is hot, add the lamb and season generously with salt and pepper. Brown lamb on all sides and remove from pan.
• Meanwhile toast walnuts in preheated oven (350 degrees F) for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool, then chop.
• Add 2/3s of the onions and all of the carrot and celery to the tajine and saute until softened. (Since 1 onion is used to make the relish, only 2 onions are used in this stage) Next add the finely minced garlic and ginger and saute a few minutes longer. Then add ground cumin, turmeric, and allspice, stirring well to combine all ingredients. Return lamb to the pan, adding the toasted chopped walnuts. Continue to stir, allowing all flavors to marry.
• Add in 2 cups pomegranate juice, cinnamon stick, and enough chicken broth to cover the meat. (You might not need the whole cup). Also add the bay leaves. (I had some curry leaves so used those instead of bay leaves). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover with a tightly fitting lid. Simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally, until lamb has become tender. If it becomes too dry during cooking, add more liquid. If there is too much liquid, then simmer uncovered.
• Meanwhile make the Onion-Pomegranate Relish: Place remaining thinly sliced onion in a bowl. Add the lime juice and ~ 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, then allow to stand one hour. Drain the onions, discarding all the liquid. This step takes the "bite" out the onion. Add pomegranate seeds to taste, a dash of salt, and chopped cilantro, also to taste.
• Once lamb is tender, add honey. Start with 1/4 cup, then increase according to taste. Simmer gently, long enough for the honey to infuse throughout the lamb tajine. Keep in mind, however, that honey burns easily and can create a bitter taste. (If I had dates on hand, they would have been added early on and the honey would have been omitted.).
• Serve over couscous, garnished generously with pomegranate seeds and chopped cilantro and the Harissa and Onion-Pomegranate Relish on the side. (Harissa is a chile-based condiment often used with Middle Eastern and Northern Africa cuisine. Although I have made it in the past, I just used what I had on hand -- something I had purchased from T J Maxx.).

LAMB SHANKS WITH POMEGRANATE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place lamb shanks on a large rimmed baking sheet; season generously with salt and pepper. Mix cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and cardamom in a small bowl; massage spice mixture into lamb. Let rest 1 hour at room temperature or chill uncovered up to 12 hours (the longer, the better).
• If chilling, let shanks sit at room temperature 1 hour for even roasting.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium-high. Working in batches, cook lamb shanks until brown on all sides, 10-15 minutes. Transfer lamb to paper towels to drain.
• Wipe out pot and let cool slightly so that vegetables don't burn. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in pot over medium. Add onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, 8-10 minutes. Add thyme sprigs, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over and stir vigorously to evenly distribute. Cook, stirring often, until flour is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add wine; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in broth, pomegranate juice, and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange lamb shanks in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Pour in onion mixture and push lamb shanks down into liquid (about three-quarters of lamb shanks should be submerged; add more broth if needed). Cover pan with foil and cook lamb, turning occasionally, until meat is fork-tender and almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2-2 hours. Remove pan from oven and let lamb rest, covered, in liquid at least 30 minutes.
• Transfer lamb to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan; skim off fat from surface and discard. Add walnuts to braising liquid and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook until reduced by one-third, 15-20 minutes (sauce should be slightly thickened and velvety). Add butter a piece at a time, stirring after each addition until incorporated before adding more; sauce should look glossy. Return lamb to pot and cook, stirring to coat, until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Arrange lamb over polenta on a platter and spoon walnuts and sauce over; top with lemon zest.
• Do Ahead
• Lamb shanks can be braised 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.