Lamb Shanks with Preserved Lemon & Herbs

There’s a reason you see preserved lemons paired with slow-roasted lamb—the acidity and the salt with the lemons are perfect for tenderizing meat and imparting mellow, savory flavor. This recipe is from Olia Hercules’ “Home Food”; a really satisfying collation of Ukrainian-tinged recipes with global culinary influence. Equally good for a sumptuous holiday meal as a weeknight dinner—I’ve used lamb shanks here for ease, but you absolutely can use a square cut lamb shoulder. Serve with a nice grain like farro or a pearl couscous.

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1/2 Tbsp honey

• Thumb-size nub fresh grated ginger

• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• small handful fresh mint leaves

• small handful fresh tarragon leaves

• small handful of dill, leaves and stalks

• small handful of cilantro, leaves and stalks

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 preserved lemon, chopped

• 4 lamb shanks or 1 lamb shoulder

• Sea salt

Prepare the marinade; the meat is best marinated overnight but it’s not entirely necessary.

Set aside a small amount of all the fresh herbs for garnish. Put all of the remaining ingredients from garlic to preserved lemon in a food processor, adding 1/2 tsp salt and blent to a paste. Cover the lamb with the paste—set aside to marinate overnight ideally. If you don’t have time, no worries you can bake it right away.

Preheat the oven to 425 when ready to roast.

Put the lamb and marinade into an enameled cast-iron Dutch Oven and cover with a lid. If you’re using a shoulder you can use a roasting pan with a foil cover. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 and cook for another 2 hours. After 2 hours take the lid or foil off—the meat should be falling off the bone. If it’s not easily coming apart, put the lid back on and roast another 30 minutes. Don’t let the lamb dry out!

Take the lamb out of the oven when done, cover, and rest for at least 20 minutes; spoon the juices over the meat before it rests.

Pull the meat off of the bone, discard the bones and big fat pieces, and shred in to large pieces. Return to the pot or pan with the juices and taste—add salt if needed. This will vary depending on how salty your preserved lemons are.

Serve over grain or couscous with the remaining fresh herbs over top, a nice smooth hummus on the side and flatbread.

This dish is amazing the day of roasting, but I almost love it more the next day when. it’s re-heated. Melt oil or ghee in a pan and fry the shredded lamb carnitas-style until lightly crispy. Good luck getting it on to a plate—I sometime eat the whole thing out of the pan!