Sameh Wadis Lamb Shanks With Pomegranate And Saffron Food

SAMEH WADI'S LAMB SHANKS WITH POMEGRANATE AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Season lamb shanks with salt.
• In a large ovenproof pot with a lid, heat a thin film of oil. Working in batches to avoid crowding, and adjusting the heat to prevent scorching, brown the lamb shanks thoroughly over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Add onion, garlic and ginger to the hot pan, sprinkle with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to become translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the ras el hanout, saffron, ginger and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously, until the spices smell fragrant. Add 1 cup stock and bring to a boil. Cook until syrupy, about 3 minutes, using a wooden spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Return the lamb and any drippings from the baking sheet to the pot. Add the remaining stock and the pomegranate juice. Bring to a boil, then cover and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.
• Transfer the lamb shanks to a baking sheet and cover with foil. Let the cooking liquid cool for 15 minutes, then skim off and discard the fat that has risen to the surface. Simmer the liquid until reduced to a sauce, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt, then add the vinegar and pomegranate molasses a few teaspoons at a time, until the sauce is balanced to your liking between sweet and sour. Return the shanks to the sauce and bring to a simmer, spooning the sauce over the shanks until the meat is hot and richly glazed.
• To serve, place the lamb shanks on a platter or individual plates, and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds, cilantro, pistachios and salt.

LAMB SHANKS WITH POMEGRANATE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place lamb shanks on a large rimmed baking sheet; season generously with salt and pepper. Mix cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, and cardamom in a small bowl; massage spice mixture into lamb. Let rest 1 hour at room temperature or chill uncovered up to 12 hours (the longer, the better).
• If chilling, let shanks sit at room temperature 1 hour for even roasting.
• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium-high. Working in batches, cook lamb shanks until brown on all sides, 10-15 minutes. Transfer lamb to paper towels to drain.
• Wipe out pot and let cool slightly so that vegetables don't burn. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in pot over medium. Add onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, 8-10 minutes. Add thyme sprigs, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over and stir vigorously to evenly distribute. Cook, stirring often, until flour is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add wine; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gradually stir in broth, pomegranate juice, and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange lamb shanks in a single layer in a large roasting pan. Pour in onion mixture and push lamb shanks down into liquid (about three-quarters of lamb shanks should be submerged; add more broth if needed). Cover pan with foil and cook lamb, turning occasionally, until meat is fork-tender and almost falling off the bone, 1 1/2-2 hours. Remove pan from oven and let lamb rest, covered, in liquid at least 30 minutes.
• Transfer lamb to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium saucepan; skim off fat from surface and discard. Add walnuts to braising liquid and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook until reduced by one-third, 15-20 minutes (sauce should be slightly thickened and velvety). Add butter a piece at a time, stirring after each addition until incorporated before adding more; sauce should look glossy. Return lamb to pot and cook, stirring to coat, until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Arrange lamb over polenta on a platter and spoon walnuts and sauce over; top with lemon zest.
• Do Ahead
• Lamb shanks can be braised 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

PERSIAN-SPICED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Trim any excess fat from lamb shanks and season generously with salt. Mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, rosebuds (if using), 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 Dutch oven or 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 degrees.
• 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 when probed 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.
• Use a large spoon to break the tender shank meat into large chunks. Serve in low, wide soup plates, giving each portion a spoonful of the juices. Accompany with steamed Basmati rice, lavash flatbread or a loaf of crusty French bread.

SAMEH WADI'S WHEAT BERRIES WITH CARROTS, HARISSA YOGURT AND DATES

Steps:

• In a colander, drain the soaked grains and shake dry. In a medium saucepan with a tight lid, heat the olive oil. Add the grains and cook over moderately high heat, stirring continuously until dry and sizzling, about 1 minute.
• Add stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until the liquid just reaches the top level of the grains, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to very low, cover and continue to cook until liquid is absorbed and grains are cooked through, 10 to 20 minutes. (Start tasting after 10 minutes; grains should be just tender at the heart. Add more liquid 2 tablespoons at a time if the pan becomes dry.) Turn off heat and set aside, covered, 15 to 30 minutes, to steam.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread out the carrots in one layer on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Roast until brown around the edges and tender all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice and harissa and whisk until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings with harissa and salt. The consistency should be thick but pourable; add more lemon juice or water as needed.
• When ready to serve, fluff the grains with a fork. Spoon onto a serving platter or wide shallow bowl; arrange the carrots in a circle on top, then sprinkle with dates. Drizzle yogurt over top and garnish with mint, dill and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

STEWED LAMB SHANKS WITH WHITE BEANS AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Season the shanks with 1 teaspoon of the salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat. Add as many shanks as will fit without crowding. Brown the shanks well on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Set the browned shanks aside and repeat with the remaining shanks, pouring off the fat between batches.
• Place the garlic, onion, carrots and celery in the skillet and saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook for about 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
• Transfer the vegetable and wine mixture to a large stockpot. Add the tomatoes and use the back of a spoon to break them into small chunks. Add the remaining ingredients, including the shanks. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming as necessary, until the lamb and beans are very tender, about 2 hours. If the lamb is done before the beans, take out the shanks and cover with foil to keep them warm until the beans are done.
• Skim off as much fat from the top of the liquid as possible. Use tongs to remove the shanks from the liquid, placing 1 shank on each of 8 plates. Season the bean mixture with additional salt if needed. Discard rosemary and bay leaves. Using a slotted spoon, arrange some of the beans and vegetables around each shank. Spoon some of the liquid over and around the shank and serve immediately.