Spicy Lamb shanks

2 large oranges
1 ¼ cups beef broth
1 ½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground tumeric
½ tsp ground pepper
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2” pieces
1 ½ cups boiling onions, peeled*
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4# lamb shanks
2 3” cinnamon sticks
2 T water
4 tsp corn starch
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, halved, if desired
1 tsp snipped fresh cilantro

*to make the onions easier to peel, blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Trim off the end, then squeeze out the onion (or peel).

Using a vegetable peeler, peel one orange and cut the zest to 1” pieces, to1/4 cup. Set aside. Juice the oranges. Add the broth, orange juice, cardamom, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a 4-5 qt crock pot, add the carrots, onion, and garlic. Add the cinnamon & orange zest. Place the lamb atop the veggies, cover with the orange juice/broth/herb blend. Cover and cook for 8-9 hrs on low or until the meat shreds easily.

Drain off the liquid into a sauce pan. Mix the water and corn starch. Slowly add to the broth and cook until thickened. Serve with the meat and veggies.

HOW I DID IT: I had leg steaks instead of shanks. When it was done, I cooked the liquid down to ¼ cup (about 20 minutes) since I can’t have corn starch. I shredded the meat and mixed it in with the onions and carrots. During that time, I roasted some baby potatoes, cut them into quarters and added them to the mixture. I like to add salt after the fact because you use less and it tastes better. I didn’t top with olives or cilantro, I ate it more like a stew.

It was really good. I wasn't sure about the orange, but it turned out well.