"My favorite lamb dish in recent memory was a lamb shank at Bistro 110 here in Chicago," writes Valerie Young of Chicago, Illinois. "The waiter told me that it was seasoned with cumin, coriander, and curry, then braised for a very long time."
The secret to this recipe? The lamb marinates overnight in a fragrant oil-and-spice mixture. If you don't have a spice grinder or coffee grinder, use a mallet to crush the seeds in a resealable plastic bag.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Grind 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds in spice or coffee grinder. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in remaining cumin and coriander seeds, thyme, rosemary, curry powder, and salt. Whisk in 1/2 cup oil. Place lamb shanks in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Rub spice oil all over shanks. Cover with plastic wrap; chill overnight, turning occasionally.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over high heat. Add lamb shanks and cook until brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add stock and garlic; bring to boil, cover and transfer to oven. Cook 1 hour; remove from oven and turn lamb shanks over. Cover and continue cooking until lamb is tender, about 45 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer lamb to platter; tent with foil to keep warm.
Step 3
Bring liquid in pot to simmer over medium heat. Add potatoes; simmer 10 minutes. Add carrots to liquid and simmer 5 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, zucchini, and asparagus to liquid and simmer until all vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter with lamb. Pour braising liquid into 4-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat, reserving 1 tablespoon. Heat reserved fat in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour; stir 2 minutes. Whisk in braising liquid and tomato paste. Boil until gravy coats spoon lightly, about 2 minutes. Serve lamb and vegetables with gravy.
