Moroccan lamb shanks with harissa and barley couscous

Paul Clerehugh, owner and head chef at the Crooked Billet in Stoke Row and London Street Brasserie in Reading, shares his recipes with Standard readers.

Ingredients
4 lamb shanks
Maldon salt, freshly ground black pepper
2tbsp coriander seeds
2tbsp cumin seeds
2tbsp fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
2 carrots, peeled & diced
2 parsnips, peeled & diced
4 red onions, peeled & chunked
2 red chillies, de-seeded, sliced
Vegetable oil (about 150ml)
3 large lemons, zested & segmented
Good handful unpitted green olives (approx. 200g)
100g tamarind paste
1ltr chopped plum tomatoes, tinned (use a decent brand)

Method
Pre-heat the oven to full volume, 220C. Place the shanks in a large deep roasting tin and season with salt and pepper.

Choose a tin big enough to braise the shanks with all the other ingredients.

Put the seasoned shanks in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. This will seal and colour the shanks.

Meanwhile, dry-fry the coriander, cumin, fennel seeds and cinnamon in a large non-stick pan (NO OIL) to waken their aroma.

Do this for two minutes, occasionally stirring the pan. Then put the seeds and cinnamon in the pestle and crush to powder.

In the same pan add a little vegetable oil and sauté the carrot, parsnip, onion and chilli. Add the ground spice. When the vegetables have slightly coloured add the lemon, zest, olives and tamarind. When the tamarind has dissolved remove from the heat.

Remove the lamb from the oven. Draw off any fat. Add the tinned tomato, the vegetables and spices to the shanks in the roasting tin.

Add sufficient boiling water to almost cover the shanks. Crimp aluminium foil over the top of the roasting tin. Reduce the oven temperature to 180C & return the roasting tin to the oven for 1½ hours then check the liquid hasn’t evaporated too much. Return to the oven for a final half hour.

Serve with harissa as a side dip for friends to hot ‘n’ spice up their lamb. Serve with barley couscous.