Mrouzia Lamb Shanks Recipes

M'ROUZIA RECIPE - MOROCCAN CONFIT OF MEAT WITH RAISINS, ALMONDS AND HONEY

Steps:

• In a large container, mix the spices with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. Brush the meat with this mixture and massage it well. Cover and refrigerate 6 to 12 hours.
• In a heavy-bottom pot or a dutch oven, add the meat, the onion, the spices, smen and about 1/4 cup of water. Place on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times to rotate the meat, making sure that all sides have been immersed in the liquid at some point. At this stage, we are helping the meat to absorb as much flavor from the spices as possible so these first 10 minutes are important.
• Slowly add enough water to cover the meat, taking care to pour the water near the sides of the pot and not directly on the meat itself. (You don't want to wash off those spices.) Add the rest of the oil and bring the liquids to a simmer.
• Continue simmering the meat over medium-low heat for about two hours, or until the meat is tender. During this period, check the pot frequently to see if it needs more liquid and also to ensure that the meat does not stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
• While the meat is cooking, place the raisins in a bowl and cover with cold water. Leave them to soak for at least an hour before draining and using.
• Once the meat is tender, add drained raisins, the teaspoon of ras el hanout, and the honey or sugar. Carry on cooking over medium-low heat while watching the process carefully.The sauce should be reduced and thickened after 20 to 30 minutes or so. No watery liquid should remain.
• The almonds can be prepped for garnish ahead of time or while the meat is cooking. Use one of the methods below.
• To Oven-Roast: Preheat the oven to 325° F (160° C). Spread the blanched almonds on a baking sheet and roast them for about 25 minutes, tossing them a couple of times. They should be roasted evenly throughout with a nice crunch and a golden color at the end. Adjust the time according to your oven in order to achieve the right texture and color.
• To Fry: Pour the oil in a small deep pan and wait until it's warm to start frying the almonds. Oil that is too hot will NOT achieve the desired outcome. Give a stir from time to time and fish all the almonds out once they turn lightly golden. Spread them on paper towels or a kitchen towel to git rid of excess oil.
• Always serve mrouzia hot. The meat is first placed in the center of a warm serving plate, topped with the confit of raisins and followed by any drop of that thick dark amber liquid. The dish is garnished with almonds. Some dried rose petals will nicely finish off the presentation.
• Keep mrouzia in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for months. It's advisable to divide the portions in different containers so It's easy to thaw them as needed. I also suggest you keep the almonds separately or fry them as needed. Garnish with them at the last minute.

MROUZIA (HONEY LAMB TAGINE)

Steps:

• Mix together the ras el hanout, ginger, salt, pepper, saffron and water to form a paste. Rub the mixture all over the lamb shanks and place them in a dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, warm the oil and butter in a pot with a lid large enough to hold the lamb shanks relatively snugly. Add the finely diced onion and cook for a few minutes to soften.
• Add the lamb shanks to the pot along with the cinnamon stick then pour in the 3 cups/720ml water. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat and cover.
• Simmer the lamb shanks, turning occasionally as needed for around 2 hours or a little longer until pull-apart tender.
• As the lamb is cooking, cover the raisins with boiling water to re-hyrdrate them slightly. Once they swell up, drain and set aside. Also, warm the olive oil in a small skillet and fry the almonds for the topping for a couple minutes each side to gently brown. Remove from the oil and drain.
• Once the lamb is tender, add the honey and raisins. Stir to mix in. Cook, uncovered, over a medium-high heat for around 20 minutes to reduce the sauce before serving.
• Serve with couscous or bread on the side with the toasted almonds on top.

MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE WITH RAISINS, ALMONDS, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Mix the seasoned meat in a pressure cooker with the onions, garlic, butter and cinnamon sticks. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to turn the meat as it browns.
• Add the 3 cups of water, cover, and cook with pressure for about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the meat is tender. Add the raisins (drained), honey, and ground cinnamon. (If you're planning to cook the almonds in the sauce, add them now as well.) If necessary, add additional water to just cover the raisins. Cover the pot and simmer without pressure for 20 to 30 minutes, until the raisins are plump and the sauce is reduced to a thick, syrup-like consistency. Conventional Pot Method:
• Mix the seasoned meat in a heavy-bottomed pot with the onions, garlic, butter, and cinnamon sticks. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to turn the meat as it browns. Add the 3 cups of water, cover, and bring to a simmer.
• Cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the raisins (drained), honey, and cinnamon. (If you're planning to cook the almonds in the sauce, add them now as well.) If necessary, add additional water to just cover the raisins.
• Cover the pot and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the raisins are plump and the sauce is reduced to a thick, syrup-like consistency. Tagine Method:
• In the base of a tagine, mix the seasoned meat with the onions, garlic, butter, and cinnamon sticks. Turn the pieces of meat so that they are bone-side down and add the 3 cups of water. Cover the tagine and place over medium-low heat. (A diffuser is recommended.)
• Leave the tagine to reach a simmer and then cook for about 3 hours (maintain a medium-low heat setting, and watch the level of liquids toward the end of cooking), or until the meat tests tender. Add the raisins (drained), honey, and cinnamon. (If you are planning to cook the almonds in the sauce, add them now as well.) If necessary, add additional water to almost cover the raisins.
• Cover the tagine and continue to simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the raisins are plump and the sauce is reduced to a thick, syrup-like consistency.

LAMB SHANKS WITH APRICOTS AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Season lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Place in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Cover with 6 cups water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, covered with lid ajar, for 1 hour. Remove shanks and reserve cooking liquid. Wipe out the pan. (You may cook the lamb shanks in advance, even a day ahead.)
• Set Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon garlic, bay leaf, saffron, tomato paste and paprika. Stir together and let sizzle for 1 minute, then add reserved lamb broth and bring to a boil. Add lamb shanks and apricots, cover with lid ajar and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender, nearly falling off the bone.
• Remove shanks and place on a cutting board to cool. Add parsnips to simmering broth, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. If necessary, reduce over medium-high heat to concentrate cooking juices.
• When shanks are cool enough to handle, remove the bones (use your hands). Cut the meat into large chunks and return to the pot to warm through. Transfer meat and sauce to a serving platter.
• To finish, warm remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic and let sizzle without browning, about 30 seconds. Add chickpeas and warm them through, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, and toss with the chopped cilantro. Spoon chickpeas over lamb and sauce.

LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the lamb shanks and sear over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add the onion and the garlic. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high and simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except the parsley. Stir to combine. Return the shanks to the saucepan. Partly cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the meat falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Remove the bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the shanks among 4 plates. Ladle the sauce over each shank. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with white bean puree (recipe below).

MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE (MROUZIA)

Steps:

• Mix water, paprika, ras el hanout, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, cayenne pepper, turmeric, and salt in a small bowl. Add red pepper flakes to the spice paste if you want more of a kick to your dish.
• Place lamb cubes in a large bowl and rub in the spice paste. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
• Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add onions, shallot, garlic, and cinnamon sticks; saute for 6 to 8 minutes. Add lamb with the spice paste. Cover with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add more stock if lamb looks dry.
• Add almonds, carrots, apricots, raisins, prunes, and honey to the Dutch oven. Simmer until lamb is completely tender, carrots are cooked, and almonds are slightly softened, 15 to 30 minutes more. Add lemon juice. Season with salt.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH PEPPERS

Steps:

• Pat dry lamb shanks. In a heavy casserole or Dutch oven that will hold all the shanks, heat oil on medium-high. Add lamb shanks and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove to a platter. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Add bell peppers and onions to the pan. Sauté, stirring, until the vegetables wilt and just begin to color, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, dill seed, paprika and cinnamon. Stir. Add stock and wine. Bring to a simmer. Stir in tomato paste and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice. Return lamb shanks to the pot along with any juices on the platter. Cover them with a piece of parchment or waxed paper, cover pot with lid, reduce heat to very low and cook about 2 hours, basting the shanks occasionally and turning them at least once until the meat is very tender when pierced with a knife.
• Remove shanks from the pot. Increase heat to medium and reduce sauce by about a third, about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Return shanks to the pot, baste and reheat. Serve directly from the casserole or transfer to a serving dish. Strew with fresh dill before serving.

LAMB SHANKS WITH CHICKPEAS & MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain, tip into a saucepan and cover generously with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, simmer for 45 minutes and drain.
• Heat the oil in a large casserole and brown the lamb all over. Remove and set aside. Pour off most of the fat, leaving 1 tablespoon in the dish, add the onions and fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3/fan oven 140C. Mix together the ginger, garlic, chillies, cumin, coriander, pepper and paprika. Add half of this to the onions, tip in the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Put in the lamb and chickpeas, cover generously with water (about 850ml/11⁄2 pints), bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and cook in the oven for 11⁄2-2 hours until the chickpeas are really tender. (You can prepare up to this stage the day before. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Bring back to simmering point before starting step 4.)
• Remove from the oven and stir in the remaining spice mixture, the saffron and cinnamon, carrots, apricots, honey and salt. Cover and return to the oven for 45 minutes-1 hour until the lamb is tender and the vegetables cooked. Scatter the almonds and coriander on top.