Rory's lamb shanks with tomatoes and almonds



Watch How to Cook Well with Rory O'Connell at 8:30pm on Tuesday evenings on RTÉ One.

Watch How to Cook Well with Rory O'Connell at 8:30pm on Tuesday evenings on RTÉ One.

Ingredients

This recipe has its origins in the wonderful cooking of north Africa. The large quantity of tomatoes combined with the gentle combination of spices are cooked down to a rich and sumptuous sauce. I cook this dish when fresh and vine ripened tomatoes are readily available.

I think that is when the dish is at its best as the perfume and depth of flavour of tomatoes that have come to their prime on the branch is reflected in the finished dish. I have also used frozen tomatoes with excellent results though the juicy nature of those requires a longer cooking to reduce the sauce to the required thick and coating consistency.

It may seem strange to grate rather than chop the onions, but this process yields a softer edge to the cooked onions which then disappear into the sauce. The addition of honey and powdered cinnamon at the end of cooking is when the dish really starts to sing and though the quantity of both may seem excessive, it really is needed to bring all of the aromatic flavours together. 

The shanks can of course be served whole, but I now prefer to slide the softly tender meat off the bone back into the sauce and serve less to match the changing tastes in relation to my consumption of meat. I usually leave one of the shanks whole as part of the presentation of the dish. You will know what is required at your table. The dish would be perfect served with a lovely fluffy couscous or a buttery and smooth mashed potatoes. I also serve a bowl of dark green crispy leaves tossed in a simple vinaigrette to accompany. The dish reheats perfectly and in that case may need a few drops of water added to loosen up the consistency.

Serves 5-8 

  • 5 lamb shanks 
  • 50g butter
  • 160g onion, peeled and coarsely grated 
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 1 level teaspoon saffron threads
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree 
  • 1.4kg ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 3-4 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
  • 25g butter
  • 200g almonds
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat parsley leaves
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

    • Method

  • Place the shanks, sitting sideways rather than standing up in a heavy casserole. Add the butter, onion, garlic, ginger and saffron. Dissolve the tomato puree with 450ml water whisking it well and pour over the contents of the casserole. Add more water to barely cover the shanks. Season with salt and pepper.
  • At this point I like to taste the rather unappetising looking liquid just to check how the seasoning is going. I find that by doing this I will have a greater understanding of the progression of the flavour of the dish from start to finish and it teaches me a lot about how flavours change, blend and mature over a particular cooking time.
  •  Cover the casserole with a tight fitting lid and simmer very gently for about 2 hours or until the meat is nearly ready to fall off the bones with a gentle push of a fork. It is vital that the lid of the saucepan is a tight fit to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly. It this does happen, top up the level of water again though I find this rather dilutes the flavour of the finished dish. Alternatively the casserole can be cooked in an oven heated to 160c for a similar length of time. 
  • When the meat is cooked, remove it and the cinnamon stick from the casserole. Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook over a moderately high heat until the liquid from the tomatoes has all but evaporated.
  • You will occasionally need to stir the casserole with a flat bottomed wooden spoon to prevent scorching. The object is to end up with just the meat juices now richly flavoured with the concentrated tomato. If you wish to serve the meat off the bone, you could gently push it off the bones while the tomatoes are cooking. I usually leave one shank whole as a presentation piece.
  • Now add the honey and cinnamon and simmer for a moment longer to allow the flavours to mingle. Taste and correct seasoning.  
  • Melt the remaining butter in a sauté pan and allow to cook to a pale hazelnut colour. Add in the prepared almonds and a pinch of salt and fry until they colour very lightly. Lift them out of the butter with a perforated spoon.
  • Reheat the lamb and tomatoes as necessary and place in a heated serving dish. Scatter over the almonds and parsley and serve with couscous or buttery mashed potatoes and a salad of crisp leaves on the side.