Recipe

Lamb shanks with sumac, mint and date stuffing and couscous with eggplant

It’s time to dig out the slow cooker and make the most of cheaper cuts of meat. Get them chugging away early in the day, so that by dinnertime the house is filled with gorgeous savoury aromas and you’ll have everyone clamouring around.

May 31, 2014 2:00pm
  • 4 hrs cooking
  • Serves 4
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Ingredients

Date and herb paste
  • 125 gram fresh dates (about 10), halved, stones removed and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
  • 1/2 cup chopped mint
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
Lamb shanks with sumac
  • 4 hind lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat, at room temperature
  • oil for bowl
  • 2 tablespoon plain flour
  • 2 tablespoon sumac
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 400 gram can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup full-bodied red wine
  • 1/4 cup water
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Couscous with eggplant
  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, for frying
  • flaky sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cup moghrabieh (large) couscous
  • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Method

Lamb Lamb shanks with sumac and mint and date stuffing
  • 1
    Preheat slow cooker on high. Put everything for the date and herb paste in the bowl of a food processor and blend to a sticky but still lumpy-ish paste.
  • 2
    Lightly oil the inside of the slow cooker bowl. Trim any loose fat from the lamb shanks then make 4-5 deep incisions in each.
  • 3
    Stuff in some of the date paste. Form pockets in the shanks by slipping the fingers between gaps in the meat and stuff in the remaining paste. Mix flour, sumac and salt and rub into shanks.
  • 4
    Put tomatoes, red wine and water in the slow cooker and stir. Add lamb shanks, positioning the bones uppermost where possible. Grind over plenty of black pepper and add any loose flour and sumac. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 4 hours.
  • 5
    If including peas, put them in a sieve and rinse under running hot water until they feel warm. Add peas to slow cooker for final 20 minutes, or cook until they are piping hot.
  • 6
    To serve, sprinkle lamb shanks with parsley and accompany with a bowl of couscous.
Couscous with eggplant
  • 7
    Cut eggplant into cubes. Heat olive oil in a medium-sized non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant cubes, toss, cook for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned, toss once more, then cover with a lid and turn heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes, until tender and browned. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
  • 8
    Pour couscous into a saucepan of salted boiling water. Bring to the boil, lower heat and cook for about 15 minutes, until cooked but still al dente. Drain.
  • 9
    Have dressing ready by whisking together extra virgin olive oil, salt, lemon zest and juice, mustard and shallot. Toss dressing with couscous. Put eggplant on top, sprinkle with parsley and give 2-3 stirs and serve with lamb shanks.

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