Succulent Lamb shank braised in a gentle Moroccan spices with apricots, honey and garnished with almonds.A touch of orange blossom water adds an extra taste dimension to this hearty meal, perfect to be devoured with some warm bread to mop up the exotic sauce.

Enjoy it!



Lamb Shank Tagine

Spice Paste
2cm Chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and diced
1 Tablespoon of fresh ground turmeric
4 Garlic Cloves
2 Medium onions roughly chopped
1 Red Chilli, seeded and chopped
Stalks from coriander bunch - reserve the leaves

For making the Spice Paste, just put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until you have a thick paste with all ingredients incorporated.

For the Tagine
2-3 Lamb Shanks (depending on your Tagine size) cut or just frenched, to your taste
1/4 Cup Ghee
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Spice Paste (see above)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
1/2 Teapoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Teaspoon ground Cinnamon
3 Bay Leaves
6 to 10 whole shallots peeled
About 200g Whole Chantenay Carrots (If you cant find it just replace by regular carrots peeled and cut in chunks)
4 Large Vine Ripened tomatoes chopped
1/2 Cup Dried Apricots roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 Tablespoon Orange Blossom Water
1/2 Cup of Roasted Almonds
Low Sodium Good Quality or homemade Chicken Stock, enough to just to cover
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
Leaves of Coriander to garnish

In a Large Tagine or a large casserole with a lid, heat the Ghee with the olive oil. When very hot, add the Lamb, brown it really well and set it aside.

Stir in the spice paste and fry it for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the white pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and bay leaves - stir well, reduce the heat and leave it gently frying for about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while and adding a tiny bit of water if necessary just to allow the spices to temper and release their flavors.

Add the honey, the carrots, the shallots, the dried apricots and return the lamb to the Tagine stirring well and making sure it is all coated by the mixture of spices.

Fill with Chicken Stock, just enough to cover the mixture. At this point you can add some salt if you wish but keep in mind the Stock will be salty and it will be reduce by the end of the cooking.

Bring it to boil, reduce the heat, put the Tagine lid on. Cook for 1 to 2 hours - the size of the lamb shanks and whether you have cut it or not will influence the cooking time, meat will be ready when falling from the bone.

When cooked, stir in the Orange Blossom Water, half of the roasted almonds and cook it for further 5 minutes.

Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Garnish with the rest of the almonds and the Coriander leaves.

Serve with Plain butter couscous and our Semolina Bread