Lamb Shank Tagine

“A tagine is a cone-shaped cooking vessel traditionally used in Moroccan cooking,” explains Peter Sanagan, author of the 2021 Shortlisted cookbook, Cooking Meat. ”Meat (commonly lamb, chicken, and beef), vegetables, and liquid are placed in the shallow base, the lid is set on top, and as the food cooks, the steam inside the tagine falls back into the ingredients, creating a delicious combination of flavors. You don’t need a tagine to make this dish—a Dutch oven will do the trick—but the flavor of the broth will be more intense if you do. Tagines are traditionally made from ceramic or unglazed clay and placed directly over a fire, so if you’re using one, cook directly over a gas flame or on a charcoal grill. (The tagine could crack if placed on a heated electric or ceramic-topped element, but to prevent this you can use a heat diffuser, which are widely available to purchase online.) Feel free to double this recipe if your tagine is large enough. Serve with steamed couscous and plenty of flatbread to mop up the delicious juices at the bottom of the pot.”

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Lamb Shank Tagine

Course Main Course

Servings 2 servings

Author Peter Sanagan, author of the 2021 Shortlisted cookbook, Cooking Meat

Ingredients

• 1½ tsp harissa paste see note
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp salt divided
• 2 lamb shanks each about 12 ounces
• 1½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp smoked or regular paprika
• 2 shallots sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings
• 3 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 small carrot quartered lengthwise, and cut in 2-inch lengths
• 1 medium potato peeled and cut in ½-inch wedges 1 celery stalk, cut in 2-inch lengths
• ¼ bulb fennel cut in ½-inch wedges 10 black olives, pitted or whole
• 6 dried apricots
• 1 preserved lemon peel only (see note) 3 bay leaves (dried are fine)
• 2½ –3 cups Chicken Stock divided, see recipe below

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, mix together the harissa, oil, and 1½ tsp of the salt to form a paste. Using your hands, rub the paste all over the shanks, cover, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• If you don’t have a gas stove, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1½ tsp salt, the pepper, cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, and paprika.
• Line the base of your tagine or Dutch oven with the shallots. Sprinkle the garlic over the top, and then place the lamb shanks on top of the shallots, crossing one on top of the other. Sprinkle half of the spice mix over the meat and shallots.
• Arrange the vegetables over the lamb in a pyramid. Sprinkle the vegetables with the rest of the spice mix.
• Scatter the olives, apricots, preserved lemon skin, and bay leaves around the vegetables. Pour 2½ cups of the stock into the base of the tagine or Dutch oven (don’t pour it over the vegetables and meat).
• To cook on a gas stovetop, cover the tagine (or Dutch oven) and place over very low heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. (If you’re using the oven, cover the Dutch oven with a tight- fitting lid, bring to a simmer over medium heat, then transfer to the oven until the meat is tender, about 2 hours.) After 2 hours, check the tagine. If the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency, add another ½ cup of stock and cook until the meat pulls away from the bone, about 1 hour.
• Remove the tagine from the heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Bring the dish to the table and remove the lid in front of your guests for a “wow” effect.

Notes

a) Harissa is a spice paste typical of North African cookery that generally includes a mix of roasted chili peppers and fennel. It can be found in most large grocery stores or online. If you can’t find it, substitute 2½ Tbsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp ground fennel, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp ground cumin mixed with 1½ tsp olive oil.

b) Preserved lemons are sold in jars in large grocery stores or online. I like to cut the lemon in quarters and then cut out and discard the flesh, which can be very bitter, saving the peel for use in the recipe. If you can’t find preserved lemon, use the zest of a fresh lemon instead, peeled into strips.

c) Start this dish the morning of the day you plan to serve it so the meat has time to marinate.

 

Excerpted from Cooking Meat by Peter Sanagan. Copyright © 2020 Peter Sanagan. Photography by Peter Chou. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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