Moroccan-Style Raisin Orange Lamb Shanks

Lamb shanks! Yes, I thought I grabbed veal shanks and got ready for a delicious osso bucco that night. Luckily, I had all these cloves and cinnamon from Madagascar in my pantry! With all these spices, plenty of dark raisins and oranges! This sweet and savoury dish turned out to be the perfect comfort food, away from the frigid nights of Edmonton. And even better: instead of Italy, we got to travel to Morocco for supper! Tagine instead of stew! Not bad for a mistake, was it?

Ingredients:

11/2 pounds lamb shanks

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

100 grams pancetta (or 2 to 3 bacon slices)

1 onion

3 sticks celery

4 large carrots

2 cups cremini mushrooms

1 tangerine orange

1 cup raisins

½ to 1 cup dry white wine

10 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

2. Chop the onion, celery and carrots.

3. Brown the pancetta in the hot oil until slightly crisp, and drain on paper towel.

4. Add the chopped onion to the pan.

5. Once the onion is soft and lightly caramelised, add the chopped celery and carrots.

6. Sauté the vegetables until soft and transfer into the slow cooker with the mushrooms and the pancetta.

7. Wash and spike the tangerine with the cloves. Place on top of the vegetables with the cinnamon stick.

8. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan.

9. Mix the flour with salt and pepper on a plate and coat the lamb shanks with the flour mixture. Drain the flour and brown the meat in the hot oil.

10. Transfer the lamb shanks to the slow cooker.

11. Add the raisins to the pan and stir-fry for 1-2 mns over low to medium-high heat.

12. Deglaze with the wine and stir in the leftover flour.

13. Let simmer for 2 mns. Pour the gravy over the meat.

14. Slow cook on high for 6 hours, until the meat falls off the bones.

15. Serve hot over steamed rice or couscous.