Name: Braised Spiced Lamb Shanks
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds; 1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary; 1/2 tablespoon curry powder; 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil; 4 18- to 20-ounce lamb shanks; 6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth; 4 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed; 1/2 pound red-skinned new potatoes, quartered lengthwise; 8 small carrots, peeled; 4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise; 2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise; 8 asparagus stalks; 1 tablespoon all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon tomato paste

"My favorite lamb dish in recent memory was a lamb shank at Bistro 110 here in Chicago," writes Valerie Young of Chicago, Illinois. "The waiter told me that it was seasoned with cumin, coriander, and curry, then braised for a very long time."

The secret to this recipe? The lamb marinates overnight in a fragrant oil-and-spice mixture. If you don't have a spice grinder or coffee grinder, use a mallet to crush the seeds in a resealable plastic bag.

Recipe notes

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