Almond Braised Lamb Shanks with Toasted Almond Salad

Name: Almond Braised Lamb Shanks with Toasted Almond Salad
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 2 cups sliced almonds (7 1/2 ounces); 6 cardamom pods; 1 star anise; 1 tablespoon fenugreek; 1 tablespoon mustard seeds; 1 tablespoon cumin seeds; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 large onion, coarsely chopped; 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 2 cups plain yogurt; Two 12-ounce bottles amber beer, such as Bass; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup all-purpose flour; Six 1-pound lamb shanks; 1/4 cup canola oil; Toasted Almond Salad (recipe follows); 2 cups bitter greens, such as radicchio and endive, cut into thin ribbons; 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped; 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Note, page 54); 1 lemon, halved; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; (makes 4 cups, lightly packed)

December 9, 2011

This out-of-the-ordinary stew is seriously good and its enticing aroma seductive. The sauce is smooth and complex: cinnamon, mustard, cumin, fenugreek, and cardamom all add up to an intriguing flavor that really lingers. The parsley-almond garnish adds brightness to the dish. Sweet, nutty, and crunchy, with layers of Indian spices, this killer recipe is a musttry. Serve it over basmati rice.