Moroccan Lamb Shank Tagine

5 from 6 votes

Full of warming spices, this impressive looking Moroccan Lamb Shank Tagine is actually ridiculously easy to make and only takes 15 minutes of hands on time. The result is melt in the mouth lamb that just falls off the bone, with a rich, spicy sauce and just a touch of sweetness from the dried fruit and honey.

Course Main Course, Tagine

Cuisine Middle Eastern, Moroccan, North African

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Servings people

Calories 555kcal

Author Eb Gargano

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil
4 small lamb shanks roughly 300g / 10oz each
Salt and pepper to taste
2 red onions diced
4 cloves garlic crushed or grated
3 cm piece of ginger grated
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
2 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons honey
12 dates or apricots chopped into small pieces
400 g tin chickpeas drained
2 tablespoons coriander (cilantro)
Bulgur wheat, couscous or flatbreads to serve

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 160C/ 140C fan / gas mark 3 / 325F.
Heat the oil in a large hob proof casserole dish. Season the lamb with salt and pepper, then brown the lamb on all sides in the hot pan.
Remove the lamb from the casserole dish and turn down the heat. Add the onion and cook over a gentle heat with the lid on for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and spices and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add a splash of water if it starts to get too dry.
Add the chopped tomatoes, honey and the lamb shanks, lying the lamb shanks down on one side so they are half submerged in the sauce, and bring back to the boil. Cover and place in the preheated oven for 45minutes.
After 45 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven and carefully turn the lamb so it is lying on the other side, cover and put back in the oven for another 45 minutes.
After this further 45 minutes, remove the casserole from the oven, turn the lamb so it is now sitting with the bone sticking upwards, add the dates and drained chickpeas, leave uncovered this time, and return the lamb to the oven for a final 30 minutes (a total of 2 hours in the oven).
During this final 30 minutes you can prepare the accompaniments - I like to serve this with bulgur wheat, but it would also go well with couscous or flatbreads.
When the lamb has finished cooking, remove from the oven, scatter with coriander and serve with the accompaniments.

Notes

Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Nutrition