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Lamb Shank Mafe
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Lamb Shank Mafé With Rof Gremolata

Ingredients

Meat

  • 6 Lamb Shanks

Mafe

  • tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil plus more if needed
  • tablespoons salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chopped yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with a few tablespoons water
  • 2 quarts chicken stock or water
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper
  • tablespoons Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce optional

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Add the shanks a few at a time, without overcrowding. Brown them well on all sides, about 8 minutes, and set aside on a plate. Repeat until all the shanks are nicely browned, adding more oil if necessary.
  • In the same pan, brown the onions. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic. Stir well, then add the diluted tomato paste. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 7 to 10 minutes, until a deep, dark red. Add another tablespoon or two of water to prevent scorching, if needed.
  • Add the stock, raise the heat, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the bay leaves, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Slowly add the peanut butter 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly to dissolve it in the liquid.
  • Return the shanks to the pot, pressing down to submerge them in the sauce. Add the Scotch bonnet and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the shanks are tender.
  • Uncover the pot and continue cooking until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the bay leaves and skim off the fat. Adjust the seasoning.
  • Serve the lamb shanks and sauce hot, on a platter. Top each shank with a generous pinch of gremolata and serve with a side of fonio pilaf.