Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [47]
½ teaspoon saffron threads
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped mint
1 preserved lemon
12 Medjool dates, halved and pitted
½ cup (80 g) whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted
½ cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. If the shank is still attached to shoulder, make a cut around the end of the bone to release the tendons (or have the butcher do it).
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the lamb dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy roasting pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and brown on the fat side. (If the shank is still attached, there may be patches that won’t brown; don’t worry.) Turn the lamb and brown as well as you can on the bone side. Transfer the lamb to a platter and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan.
3. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Blend the paprika, ginger, and saffron with 2 cups (500 ml) water, pour into the pan, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Remove from the heat and return the lamb, with any juices, to the pan, fat side down. Add the cinnamon stick and half the chopped parsley and mint.
4. Cover the lamb with a damp piece of parchment paper, and then aluminum foil, and transfer to the oven. Braise the lamb for 2/2 hours, turning it halfway through. (The dish can be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate overnight, and remove the fat in the morning. You may need more than 30 to 45 minutes to fully cook the lamb.)
5. While the lamb is cooking, cut the preserved lemon into quarters. Remove the pulp and discard. Cut the peel into matchstick-sized pieces.
6. After the lamb has cooked for 2/2 hours, add the lemon, dates, almonds, and lemon juice. Stir to mix, cover again with parchment paper and foil, and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the lamb is very tender.
7. Sprinkle the lamb with the remaining chopped herbs and check the seasoning, as preserved lemons vary in saltiness. Transfer the lamb to a warmed platter and carve into thick pieces. If you’d like, you can boil the sauce for 5 minutes to thicken it slightly.
SHOULDER POWER
Knucklebones were used for more than just games. It was believed that these bones had magical powers, and they were tossed to foretell the future or carried to prevent sciatica or cramp.
Lamb bones were also popular for divination and talismans, especially in Britain. A woman could rekindle the affection of an unfaithful husband or lover, it was said, with a knife and a sheep’s shoulder bone. No, it didn’t require a direct threat. She had only to repeat a certain verse and stab her knife into the sheep’s scapula. The guilty party would be compelled, even against his will, to return to her.
Lamb Shoulder Ratatouille-Style
Lamb and ratatouille are often paired in the south of France. In this recipe, the shoulder is cooked to the halfway point before the vegetables are added. Cutting the vegetables into big chunks ensures that they won’t disintegrate as they cook. The vegetables, especially the eggplant, soak up the flavors of the lamb, and the acid from the tomatoes tames the richness of the meat. There is a good amount of sauce for the vegetables and the meat. So serve with bread to get every last drop of it.
1 lamb shoulder, square cut or with the shank (see “The Front End,” page 92), about 4½ pounds (2 kg)
6 Roma (plum) tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1 to 2 cups (250 to 500 ml) dry white wine
1 cup (250 m) Lamb Stock (page 95)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
3 large basil sprigs
4 red bell peppers
4 small eggplants, about 1 pound (450 g)
3 zucchini
1 cup (250 ml) packed basil leaves, shredded
1. If the shank is still attached to the shoulder, make a cut around the end of the shank bone to release the tendons (or have the butcher do it).
2. Core the tomatoes, then drop them into a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water to cool, then