Name: Sticky spiced lamb shanks
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1&frac12 tbsp olive oil; 2 lamb shanks; 3 onions sliced; 4 garlic cloves sliced; ½ cinnamon stick; 1 tbsp each cumin and coriander seeds crushed; pinch of chilli flakes; 400g can chopped tomatoes; 500ml chicken or vegetable stock; 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses; 4 dried apricots chopped; 4 dried figs chopped; handful coriander chopped

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Sticky spiced lamb shanks

Sticky spiced lamb shanks

Good Food team

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Serves 2

Easy

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 3 hrs

A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.31 ratingsRate

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This hearty, slow-cooked lamb dish is perfect for two to share as the nights start drawing in

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Alternatives

Complete the dish

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Jewelled rice

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.8 ratings

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

1½ tbsp olive oil
2 lamb

shanks
3 onions

sliced
4 garlic cloves

sliced
½ cinnamon stick
1 tbsp each cumin and coriander seeds

crushed
pinch of chilli flakes
400g can chopped tomatoes
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
4 dried apricots

chopped
4 dried figs

chopped
handful coriander

chopped

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal1114
fat55g
saturates23g
carbs64g
sugars52g
fibre10g
protein95g
salt1.93g

Method

step 1

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add 1 tbsp oil to a small, tight-lidded casserole and brown shanks for a couple of mins, turning as you go. Remove and set aside.
step 2

Add remaining oil and onions to the pan and cook for about 10 mins until soft. Add garlic and spices and cook for 4 mins more. Tip in tomatoes and stock, then nestle the shanks back in on their sides. Bring to a boil, cover and put in the oven. Cook for 2 hrs: turn the shanks now and then.
step 3

Remove the lid and stir through the molasses, apricots and figs. Cook, uncovered, for 30 mins more or until the meat is falling away from the bone.
step 4

Remove shanks from the dish and wrap in foil to keep warm. Put the dish back onto the heat and cook down the juices until thick and saucy. Season, then serve the shanks, scattered with coriander, alongside the rice (see 'Goes well with', right).

RECIPE TIPS

IF YOU WANT TO USE A SLOW COOKER

Brown your shanks in a frying pan with the oil for a couple of minutes then place in the slow cooker with all the other ingredients except coriander. Cover and cook on Low for 9-10 hours. Take out the lamb then finish off the sauce in a pan on the hob according to step 4, above.

START WITH SPINACH HOUMOUS

Very gently fry ¼ tsp ground cumin and 1 crushed garlic clove in 1 tbsp olive oil for 2 mins, before tipping in 100g bag baby spinach. Cook until just wilted. Squeeze out all the excess liquid, then blitz with 6 tbsp ready-made houmous and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with toasted pitta and carrot sticks.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, October 2010

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A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.31 ratings

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