Moroccan lamb & pearl cous cous stew

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil

Salt and cracked black pepper

3 (1kg) lamb shanks

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, trimmed, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp ras el hanout (see tip, below)

2 cups water

1L beef stock

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

Big pinch saffron threads

400g chickpeas, drained

½ cup pearl cous cous

2 tbsp lemon juice

¼ cup coriander sprigs or leaves, chopped

Tip: Find this Moroccan spice blend at Herbie’s Spices.

Heat oil in a stockpot or large cast-iron pot over a high heat. Season lamb shanks and cook in pot for 10 minutes, turning until brown all over. Remove shanks and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, ginger and ras el hanout and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes until vegetables are soft but not brown. Add the water, stock, tomatoes, paste and saffron and stir until combined. Return shanks to pot.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until meat begins to fall off the bone. Remove shanks from soup and set aside to cool slightly. Add chickpeas and cous cous to soup and cook for 15 minutes or until cous cous is tender.
Meanwhile, shred meat from bones and return to soup. Discard bones and skin. Season and stir in juice. Garnish with coriander to serve.