Ingredients

• 1 tsp ras-el-hanout
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp smoked sweet paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 4 lamb shanks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• thickly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• peeled
• finely chopped
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (available from Middle Eastern grocers and some supermarkets)
• ½ tsp saffron
• 350ml/12fl oz chicken stock
• 125g/4½oz stoneless dried apricots
• halved
• 110g/4oz green olives
• stones removed
• 75g/2½oz whole almonds
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 preserved lemons
• rind only
• chopped
• 175g/6oz bulgur wheat
• 350ml/12fl oz chicken stock
• 1 small red onion
• finely chopped
• 100g/3½oz pistachios
• roughly chopped
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 1 pomegranate
• seeds only
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• small bunch each of fresh flat leaf parsley
• coriander and mint
• chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the lamb shank tagine
• preheat of the oven to 160C/315F/Gas 3.
• Mix the ras-el-hanout
• ground cinnamon
• ground ginger
• smoked sweet paprika
• ground cumin
• freshly ground black pepper and ground turmeric together in a bowl. Add the lamb shanks and turn in the mixture to coat them evenly.
• Heat a large pan until smoking hot
• then add a tablespoon of the olive oil and sear the lamb shanks on all sides for 2-3 minutes
• or until golden-brown all over. Remove the lamb shanks from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes
• or until softened. Add the lamb shanks back to the pan and stir well
• then add all of the remaining tagine ingredients - except for the coriander and salt and freshly ground black pepper - and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce the heat
• cover the pan with a lid and place in the oven for two hours
• or until the lamb is tender.
• Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes
• or until the tagine is slightly thickened. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Meanwhile
• for the tabbouleh
• place the bulgur wheat into a pan with the chicken stock. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes over a low heat. Check that the bulgur wheat is tender. If not cook for a little longer. When cooked drain off the excess stock.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly
• and then transfer the bulgur wheat to a bowl. Add the red onion
• pistachios
• lemon juice
• pomegranate
• olive oil and herbs and mix well. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• divide the tabbouleh among four serving plates
• and then spoon the lamb shank tagine alongside and sprinkle the coriander and preserved lemon over the top and serve.