Mediterranean Lamb Salad
This dish was unexpectedly delicious and came together perfectly even though we didn’t really know what we were making. I fancied lamb tagine spiced with cinnamon and Aaron wanted something closer to avgolemono so we compromised. It ended up being part salad, part shawarma on a whole wheat flatbread. The tender lamb combined with tahini and a tomato-cucumber salad was just the right combination of flavors. 
The Lamb:
2 lamb shanks
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp ground white pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp each- cinnamon, nutmeg, corriander, cumin
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
1 medium onion, sliced
1 shallot
1 lemon
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic
Whole wheat flatbreads
Tahini
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 310 degrees
1. Rub the lamb shanks with the white pepper and other spices, then brown on all sides with 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. After the meat is browned, remove and set aside.
2. Add the third tablespoon of olive oil and the onions, shallots and garlic stir until soft.
3. Place the lamb shanks back in the pot, and add the white wine, chicken broth, white wine vinegar and juice from one lemon (just go ahead and throw the peels in after you’ve squeezed them).
4. Bring to a simmer and place in the oven for 2 hours.
While the lamb is stewing in the oven, make the Mediterranean salad (inspired from a recipe in the Chunky Cookbook salad series):
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
1/2 cup pre-soaked or canned lentils
1/4 red onion, chopped
2 Persian cucumbers, peeled, quartered, and chopped
Feta cheese
For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Combine all ingredients and toss. Let salad absorb flavors for at least 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature.
Once the lamb is removed from the oven, separate the meat from the bone and pull into large hunks. Keep some of the juice handy.
To serve:
1. Spread tanini generously on an oiled and grilled flatbread or a pita
2. Spoon a helping of Mediterranean salad on top
3. Add some mixed spring greens
4. Add lamb on top, then drizzle some of the reserved sauce and serve.
We found it best to eat with a knife and fork to avoid undue mess, but in theory this could be eaten as a pita sandwich too.
lesdomestiques 