Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks
David Scott Allen · Lamb · Main Course · Provencal Recipes · TasteGreat lamb is easy to find in Provence, most of which is organic, and grass-fed. This recipe, for Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks, brings together the best of this complex middle-eastern cuisine. The flavours of Persia combine sweet, sour, savoury, hot, floral, and earthy into a subtle taste explosion. Spice is tricky for wine pairing, but I served this lamb dish with a Côtes du Rhône (2014) red called Vinsobres, and it worked very well.
Persian-spiced Lamb Shanks
This recipe comes from David Tanis of The New York Times. Enjoy the delicious and complex flavours of Persia. I served the dish with saffron basmati rice.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Meaty Lamb Shanks about 4
- Salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg grated
- 1 tsp cardamom ground
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- Juice of 2 limes about 4 tbsp (zest before juicing!)
- 3 tsp rose water *
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- zest of 1 zest of Fresh Lime
- zest of 1 zest of Orange plus 1 tbsp more for garnish
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves fresh
- 6 cups Hot Chicken Broth or water
- 2 tbsp parsley roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint roughly chopped
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt.
- Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper and turmeric. Sprinkle evenly over shanks and rub into meat. Let sit at room temperature at least an hour, or wrap and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature.
- Place a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat and add oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. When oil is hot, add 2 lamb shanks and fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside, then brown the 2 remaining shanks.
- Meanwhile, put saffron in a small bowl with lime juice, 2 teaspoons rosewater and 1/2 cup warm water. Let steep for 10 minutes. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly colored, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Season onion with salt, then add lime zest, orange zest, thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Stir in saffron mixture. Lay in the lamb shanks and add the broth. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and cover pot.
- Transfer pot to oven and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender and beginning to fall from the bone.
- Remove lamb shanks to a deep serving dish and keep warm. Strain braising juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to obtain all the liquid (discard thyme, bay leaves and onions).
- Skim fat, then taste and add salt if necessary. Add 1 more teaspoon rosewater, if desired. Reheat strained juices and pour over lamb shanks. Combine parsley, mint and reserved orange zest and sprinkle over top.
- Accompany with saffron basmati rice.
Notes
* make sure you use rosewater and not rose extract
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Next Post
Tips for Renting a Car in ProvenceRelated Provence Articles
Summer Soup Gazpacho with Goat Cheese Recipe from Moulin Castelas
July 22, 2025
If you’d like to taste some of the best olive oil in Provence, look no further than the Moulin Castelas, situated just below the famous fortress of Les Baux-de-Provence. The olive mill and adjacent property are in the Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) Vallée des Baux de Provence in the Alpilles. This recipe for a perfect …
Make Lavender and Honey Ice Cream this Summer
July 14, 2025
Who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summer day? This recipe combines culinary lavender and honey into a delicious ice cream that will “transport” you to Provence with every bite. Thank you to ElsaLenthal.com for allowing us to republish this recipe. Artisan Creations with Lavender Elsa Lenthal started Fuseaux de Lavande de Provence in …
5 Reasons Why We Love Aix-en-Provence
July 10, 2025
Today’s Aix-en-Provence was founded in 122 BC when the Romans moved from Entremont, an oppidum established by the Salyens, a Celtic-Ligurian tribe. The new settlement was Aquae Sextiae (“the waters of Sextius”), a tribute to the highly respected Roman consul Caius Sextius Calvinus. Strategically located, this new city had access to natural water sources. While …
Summer is Rosé Time in Provence. Is 2024 a Good Vintage?
July 8, 2025
Now that summer is here, rosé wines will become even more interesting, but what about the rosé wine from Provence vintage 2024? Göran Boman, a wine expert and connoisseur of Provencal wines, recently wrote a post on his blog, “Is Provence Rosé Vintage 2024 Good?” More and more rosé is considered a wine that belongs …
2 Comments
The lime and orange zest added a new element to the shanks- one of my favorite shank recipe.
Thank you for writing. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.