Moroccan Lamb with Cucumber Yogurt
ingredients
4 each lamb hind shanks, approximately 1 pound each
10 each garlic cloves, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
Moroccan Spice Blend
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons whole fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
4 each cardamom pods
1 tablespoon kosher slat
2 each large yellow onions, diced
2 each carrots, peeled and dices
6 each roma tomatoes, cut into sixths
1 each star anise
2 each Turkish Bay Leaves
2 cups red wine
3 quarts beef stock
Cucumber Yogurt
1 quart Labne, strained Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
4 each confit garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh mint, chiffonade
1/2 cup seedless cucumbers, petit dice
10 each garlic cloves, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
Moroccan Spice Blend
1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons whole fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
4 each cardamom pods
1 tablespoon kosher slat
2 each large yellow onions, diced
2 each carrots, peeled and dices
6 each roma tomatoes, cut into sixths
1 each star anise
2 each Turkish Bay Leaves
2 cups red wine
3 quarts beef stock
Cucumber Yogurt
1 quart Labne, strained Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
4 each confit garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh mint, chiffonade
1/2 cup seedless cucumbers, petit dice
directions
Day One
Place lamb shanks in a large bowl with crushed garlic, parsley, rosemary, and thyme; set aside. Place a small saute pan over medium heat and toast the allspice and cardamom until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Set aside. Using a mortar and pestle, add paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, mustard seeds, and fenugreek. Blend and crush spices until all mustard seeds are broken. Add the toasted allspice and cardamom pods to the spice mixture and crush the spices roughly. Add the spice blend to the lamb shanks, massaging the blend into the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours to overnight.
Day Two
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the lamb shanks from the refrigerator and allow to sit out for 20 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the lamb and mix well. There will be a large amount of the spice blend and herb that will not stick to the shanks but will be used later. Heat a medium braising pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear lamb shanks on all sides in braising pan until golden brown on all sides. Remove shanks and set aside, many of the spices and garlic will stick to the pan. While the pan is still hot, add the yellow onions and remaining spice blend that was left from the marinade. Stir frequently, constantly scraping the bottom of the pan. Allow the onions to become translucent, and add the carrots, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Once the carrots start to sweat, add the tomatoes, star anise, bay leaf, and salt. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the two cups of red wine and reduce by two-thirds. Add the warm beef stock and let come to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and gently add the lamb shanks to the liquid in the braising pan. cover and place in oven for 2 hours, checking halfway to ensure that there is enough liquid. If too much liquid has evaporated, add beef stock. Remove braising pan from over and gently remove the lamb shanks, placing on a sheet pan to cool. Strain the braising liquid into another pot and place over medium heat until reduced by half. Once the shanks are cool to the touch, pull all of the meat off the bone, discarding any fat. Add the lamb meat to the pot of liquid and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with warm pita and cucumber yogurt.
Cucumber Yogurt
Line a small strainer with cheesecloth and set over a medium sized bowl. Allow the yogurt to strain for at least one hour. Using a hand mixer, blend the yogurt with the vinegar and garlic cloves. Fold in the mint and cucumber, season with salt and pepper.
Place lamb shanks in a large bowl with crushed garlic, parsley, rosemary, and thyme; set aside. Place a small saute pan over medium heat and toast the allspice and cardamom until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Set aside. Using a mortar and pestle, add paprika, cayenne, nutmeg, mustard seeds, and fenugreek. Blend and crush spices until all mustard seeds are broken. Add the toasted allspice and cardamom pods to the spice mixture and crush the spices roughly. Add the spice blend to the lamb shanks, massaging the blend into the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours to overnight.
Day Two
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove the lamb shanks from the refrigerator and allow to sit out for 20 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the lamb and mix well. There will be a large amount of the spice blend and herb that will not stick to the shanks but will be used later. Heat a medium braising pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sear lamb shanks on all sides in braising pan until golden brown on all sides. Remove shanks and set aside, many of the spices and garlic will stick to the pan. While the pan is still hot, add the yellow onions and remaining spice blend that was left from the marinade. Stir frequently, constantly scraping the bottom of the pan. Allow the onions to become translucent, and add the carrots, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Once the carrots start to sweat, add the tomatoes, star anise, bay leaf, and salt. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the two cups of red wine and reduce by two-thirds. Add the warm beef stock and let come to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and gently add the lamb shanks to the liquid in the braising pan. cover and place in oven for 2 hours, checking halfway to ensure that there is enough liquid. If too much liquid has evaporated, add beef stock. Remove braising pan from over and gently remove the lamb shanks, placing on a sheet pan to cool. Strain the braising liquid into another pot and place over medium heat until reduced by half. Once the shanks are cool to the touch, pull all of the meat off the bone, discarding any fat. Add the lamb meat to the pot of liquid and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with warm pita and cucumber yogurt.
Cucumber Yogurt
Line a small strainer with cheesecloth and set over a medium sized bowl. Allow the yogurt to strain for at least one hour. Using a hand mixer, blend the yogurt with the vinegar and garlic cloves. Fold in the mint and cucumber, season with salt and pepper.