Lamb in Honey Sauce
James Carrier
Notes: For a garnish, add about a dozen pitted prunes and apricot halves to boiling pan juices (step 7). When boiling resumes, lift fruit out with a slotted spoon and arrange with toasted almonds around lamb. Garnish meat with mint sprigs, and serve bread to dunk into sauce.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Rinse lamb and place in a 2-inch-deep 11- by 17-inch pan. Bake in a 500° oven until well browned, turning shanks over once, about 15 minutes. Discard fat from pan.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir onions with oil until dark gold, about 15 minutes.
Step 3
3
Add coriander, turmeric, ginger, cumin, and saffron to onions and stir for 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey.
Step 4
4
Pour broth mixture over lamb. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in a 350° oven until meat is very tender when pierced, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours; after 30 and 60 minutes, spoon pan juices over lamb.
Step 5
5
With a slotted spoon, gently transfer shanks to rimmed dinner plates; keep warm.
Step 6
6
Skim and discard fat from the pan juices.
Step 7
7
Place pan on 2 burners over high heat and boil juices, stirring often, until reduced to 2 cups, 12 to 15 minutes.
Step 8
8
Spoon juices equally over the lamb shanks.
Ingredients
4 lamb shanks (1 lb. each), fat trimmed
2 onions (1 lb. total), chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground dried turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 1/2 cups fat-skimmed beef broth
1/3 cup honey
Directions
Step 1
1
Rinse lamb and place in a 2-inch-deep 11- by 17-inch pan. Bake in a 500° oven until well browned, turning shanks over once, about 15 minutes. Discard fat from pan.
Step 2
2
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir onions with oil until dark gold, about 15 minutes.
Step 3
3
Add coriander, turmeric, ginger, cumin, and saffron to onions and stir for 1 minute. Stir in broth and honey.
Step 4
4
Pour broth mixture over lamb. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in a 350° oven until meat is very tender when pierced, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours; after 30 and 60 minutes, spoon pan juices over lamb.
Step 5
5
With a slotted spoon, gently transfer shanks to rimmed dinner plates; keep warm.
Step 6
6
Skim and discard fat from the pan juices.
Step 7
7
Place pan on 2 burners over high heat and boil juices, stirring often, until reduced to 2 cups, 12 to 15 minutes.
Step 8
8
Spoon juices equally over the lamb shanks.
