Lynton Tapp recipe: Lamb shanks with dates and cous cous

Lamb shanks with dates and cous cous

Ingredients
4 lamb shanks
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 tsp paprika
1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
100g pitted dates, roughly chopped
1 brown onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1 tin of chickpeas rinsed

3 cups cous cous
3 cups hot chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat a large casserole pot over high heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Brown off the lamb shanks in batches until deeply caramelised. Remove the shanks and cook the onion and capsicum until tender, add the spices and garlic and continue cooking for a further minute or two. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the stock, crushed tomatoes and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-2.5 hours or until the lamb shanks are falling apart.

Just before the shanks are ready to serve, cover the cous cous with the hot stock in a small bowl and wrap in cling film. Allow to sit for 3-4 minutes before forking through the chopped parsley, chopped hazelnuts and seasoning with freshly ground black pepper and salt.

Serve!