Persian-Spiced Lamb Shanks

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs. lamb shanks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup blanched almonds

½ cup sliced almonds

• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 tablespoons honey

½ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup yogurt

  Directions

• 1. Remove the lamb shanks from the refrigerator 24 hours before cooking. Mix the almonds and scallions in a shallow bowl and set aside.
• 2. Place the garlic, honey, and flour in a medium saucepan and slowly cook over low heat until the mixture starts to smell nutty. Pour in the honey and scallions and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add the yogurt and let it warm up to a certain point before adding the lamb shanks. The water in the saucepan should be half the amount used to water the shanks before they are cooked.
• 3. Pour all the marinade into the meat and gently transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• 4. On the day of the lamb shanks’ cooking, place the lamb shanks in the middle of a pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 4 to 5 hours, or until the meat is perfectly cooked. Remove the lamb shanks from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes.
• 5. Meanwhile, use a small potato masher to mash the almonds and roasted almonds with the garlic. Set aside.
• 6. Remove the lamb shanks from the oven and allow them to rest 5 minutes before serving.
• 7. Spoon the creamy almonds mixture over the lamb shanks and serve hot or at room temperature.
• Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s book The Complete Greek Cookbook, published by Ten Speed Press.