Source: foodnetwork.ca: Christine Cushing Live: Lamb and Pear Tagine

Notes: To add to the Moroccan feel, serve this tagine with couscous and preserved lemons.

Yield: 4

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted (5 ml)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted (7 ml)
• 4 allspice berries, toasted
• 1/4 teaspoon ajowan, toasted, optional only (1 ml)
• 2 cardamom pods, toasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
• 4 lamb shanks, left whole (each shank about 1 pound/454grams)
• Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 fresh chile, chopped or red chile flakes, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger (15 ml)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 Bosc pears, cut in quarters, peeled and cored
• handful large green olives, Spanish olives or Moroccan olives
• 1 large onion, sliced or diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste (22 ml)
• 1/3 cup golden raisins (75 ml)
• 1 cup red wine (250 ml)
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (625 ml)
• 1/2 cup of pear juice (125 ml)(ou jus pommes et poires)
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley (30 ml)
• 1 bunch baby carrots, peeled with about 1-iinch of the tops left on

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Over medium heat, toast the cumin, coriander, allspice, ajowan and cardamom pods in a cast iron fry pan until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Grind the spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Brown the shanks on all sides in Dutch oven, about 10 minutes. Transfer shanks to a plate.
4. Lower heat to medium high and add the onions. Sauté onions until soft and golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the ground spices, cinnamon stick, chile and cook for another minute.
6. Add garlic, ginger, lemon zest and bay leaf. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more.
7. Add tomato paste and let cook for another 2 minutes.
8. Add wine and bring to a boil. Let reduce, about 5 minutes.
9. Add the stock and pear juice and bring to a boil.  Add the lamb shanks and raisins. Cover and cook in oven for 1 hour.
10. Add pears and olives.
11. When the meat is starting to get soft and tender, another 45 (30) minutes more, add baby carrots. The baby carrots need about 15 (30) minutes of cooking time. Cover and cook until lamb is tender and almost falling off the bone. The tagine will cook for about 2 hours of cooking time all together. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and finish dish with parsley. Serve with couscous.