Moorish Lamb Tagine with Couscous

Forecast suggests yet more snow on the way.  Quick - to the market before there is a line around the block.  Starting to think that Whole Foods and Weather Underground may be in cahoots.   Get this soup on the stove and leave it to simmer while you read, ski and/or shovel. 

Moorish Lamb Tagine with Couscous

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lamb shanks
• Flaked sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 preserved lemon, flesh removed and finely chopped, peels reserved
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon Ras El Hanout
• Pinch saffron
• 2 cups red wine
• 1 small bunch parsley
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• Couscous
• Radishes 
• Radish sprouts
• Caramelized onions

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium heat.  Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper and brown them on all sides,  about 5 minutes per side.  Remove shanks from pan and set aside.  Add remaining two tablespoons olive oil, preserved lemon flesh onion, garlic and all spices and cook until onions are translucent and spices very fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Return lamb shanks to pot.   Add wine and enough water to just cover shanks.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Bundle herbs together and add to pot.  Cover pot and bring mixture to a boil. 

Transfer pot to a 300 degree oven and let cook until meat is so tender it easily falls from bone, adding reserved lemon peel after an hour.  

Remove from heat.  Remove shank bone, gently peeling away any meat and returning meat to pot.  Discard herb bundle.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve with prepared couscous, sliced radishes and radish sprouts and caramelized onions. 

Roast Chestnuts in Vanilla Bean Syrup

It is a chestnut kind of year!

Roast Chestnuts in Vanilla Bean Syrup

• 1 pound chestnuts
• 11/2 cups sugar, plus more for rolling if desired
• 11/2 cups water
• 1 vanilla bean, split

Use a sharp knife to score skin of each chestnut.  Heat oven to 375.  Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil.  Add chestnuts and simmer about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain and transfer chestnuts to a roasting pan.  Place in hot oven and roast about 25 minutes.  Meanwhile combine sugar and water in a saucepan.  Stir just to dissolve sugar.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Add vanilla bean, scraping beans from pod.  Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  

Remove chestnuts from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.  Peel nuts.  Transfer sugar syrup to a heat proof jar or storage container.  Add chestnuts and let stand until cool.  Refrigerate at least one week before serving.  Chestnuts are delicious over ice cream or rolled in sugar and eaten as a truffle.