Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom and Orange
Algerian Lamb Shanks with Cardamom and Orange is rated
out of
5 by
5.
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
105 minutes
Servings:
4
Serves 4.
This braised lamb stew is wonderful served over a bed of steamed couscous. The couscous can be served plain or tossed with raisins, almonds and spices. Either way, it will absorb the flavorful broth from the stew.
Ingredients:
- 4 lamb shanks, external fat trimmed
- Salt, to taste, plus 1 Tbs. salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
for serving - 1 lb. yellow onions, diced
- 1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
- 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 cardamom seeds, skins removed
- Pinch of saffron
- 1 tsp. chili flakes
- 1 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds
- 2 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 Tbs. curry powder
- 1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 2 cans (10 oz. each) diced plum tomatoes
- 1 bottle white wine
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 1 lb. carrots, peeled and coarsely diced
- 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and
coarsely diced
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil until nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the shanks, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Add the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté, stirring, until the onions are tender and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, cardamom, saffron, chili flakes, cloves, caraway, fennel seeds, cinnamon, curry, the 1 Tbs. salt, almonds and raisins. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, wine, orange zest and orange juice and stir to mix well. Submerge the shanks in the liquid and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the meat nearly falls off the bone, about 2 hours.
Stir the carrots and fennel bulb into the stew, cover and bake until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more. Drizzle each serving with olive oil.
Generously season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof deep sauté pan or Dutch oven over high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil until nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the shanks, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Add the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté, stirring, until the onions are tender and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, cardamom, saffron, chili flakes, cloves, caraway, fennel seeds, cinnamon, curry, the 1 Tbs. salt, almonds and raisins. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, wine, orange zest and orange juice and stir to mix well. Submerge the shanks in the liquid and bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the meat nearly falls off the bone, about 2 hours.
Stir the carrots and fennel bulb into the stew, cover and bake until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more. Drizzle each serving with olive oil.
Serves 4.
Celadon, Napa, California
Rated 4 out of
5
by
Kakaka from
Very nice! But not so <Algerian>
This recipe has been in rotation for my family every winter for the past few years. Not sold on authenticity though. Wine isn’t commonly used in cooking within North Africa - yet alone a whole bottle. Also “curry powder” should be a spice blend like ras el hanout or even harissa instead. Better leaving it out completely if you don’t have access to the 2, in my opinion. Chickpeas, whole green olives and potatoes make lovely add-ins if you want to change or bulk it up some more. Overall very nice flavours and an enjoyable stew but a few adaptations to reflect authenticity of an <Algerian> dish should be considered.
Date published: 2022-10-15
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Aussie8207 from
Simple yet sophistacated
Our go-to, rainy day, winter comfort meal that is a pleasure to cook and crazy delicious to eat. Great depth and complexity in the flavors and textures, served with couscous to balance the meal. Disagree with previous posts, curry powder is in every spice aisle in the US and easy to find, almonds after a 2+ hour simmer add nice texture to the meal. Only change is I took off the lid for the last 20 min to allow the sauce to thicken more and enrich the flavor.
Date published: 2020-11-30
Rated 3 out of
5
by
Bethboo72 from
"Curry Powder"
Curry powder is literally not a thing unless we're talking british pub curries. You couldn't be more specific? Maybe a list of spices to be roasted and ground? Would love to try but I think I'll stick to my go-to Floyd Cardoz lamb recipe.
Date published: 2020-09-23
Rated 4 out of
5
by
dmrmsr from
Fantabulous with two teeny tweaks
Fantastic flavors and fabulously pretty to present. Two small hitches led to teeny tweaks time two.
First, the almonds were not a hit for their texture in the dish first pass around. Easy to eliminate time two.
Second, a heads up this is more spicy hot from the chile flakes than one might expect. In particular if you hold this dish to reheat and serve the day after it is made. (Given braised meals are almost always better from the hold over.) Chile heat seems to intensify over time. We enjoy spicy hot food but second pass reduced chile flakes a little.
Substitutions that work: This is also delicious with equivalent "minus" for pounds amount of lamb shoulder blade chops substituted for shanks. Fregola (which Wm Sonoma sells if you can't find it in your market) is a wonderful substitution for couscous. Loved the other reviewers idea to use a blood orange infused olive oil as the finishing oil.
Date published: 2014-12-25
Rated 5 out of
5
by
SharonLovesToCook from
Oh My Gosh
This is a most exciting dish. It has been my "Go To" lamb shank recipe for several years. Purchasing all the spices called for is a good investment - you will want to make this again. The blend of spices is quite spectacular. When drizzling olive oil just before serving, I love to use blood orange infused oil - YUM.
Date published: 2013-12-08