I’m starting to hear it.
It’s subtle right now, almost a way to keep small talk going while you are out and about.
“Can you believe 2015 will be here soon? Big plans?”, asks the Nordstroms sales lady. My immediate reaction is to roll my eyes because really I haven’t a single clue on what 2015 is going to look like. I feel like I barely survived 2014. Wait. Does she have a crystal ball behind the counter? Why is she asking me this? Am I on set of the remake of Teen Witch?
I lock-it-up for a moment and respond politely, “Not yet. Just trying to get through Christmas, ya know?” The sales lady smiles, places my items into the silver bag, turns to me to hand the bag and says, “Happy Holidays.”
So, there’s really not a crystal ball? No free advice on what those plans should be? Nope. Nada. Just me standing there with a silver bag (filled with these uber cute boots) self reflecting on what the heck am I am going to do in 2015.
Well, I’ll tell you one thing that I will continue to do into the new year and that’s making recipes with my favorite North African hot sauce, harissa. Kind of crazy to think about all the recipes I’ve made: Baked Brie with Harissa, Moroccan Spiced Chicken Enchiladas with Harissa Red Sauce, Spicy Harissa Quesadilla with Lamb, and Spicy Lamb Tacos with Harissa Pico de Gallo. Now, I’m just hungry thinking about it. But I think I’ve saved the best for last and couldn’t have done it without my girl, Mina.
Mina Harissa is harissa bottled and ready to go. Made of red chili pepper, garlic, red bell pepper, olive oil, and vinegar. It’s the perfect addtion or topping to any dish, especially when lamb is involved. These lamb shanks are an 11/10 situation. Slow roasted, fall-off-the-bone delicious and topped with a thickened harissa wine sauce. You will fall in love with this dish.
So, what do you say? Make a new years resolution to add harissa to your ingredient list. You’ll thank me later!
To learn more about Mina Harissa, visit their webiste and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
***This post is sponsored by Mina Harissa. As always, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.***
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs lamb shanks
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup Mina Harissa
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine rosemary, thyme, sage, and s&p. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the lamb shanks and cover with herb mixture. Next, heat a large Dutch oven to medium-heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Sear the shanks on both sides about 3 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside. Then, add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Add celery, onion, and carrots, Cook until the veggies have soften; about 5 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan and simmer for a few minutes. Next, add the lamb shanks back to the pan along with beef stock. Place the pan into the oven and roast for about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Remove pan from oven. Place lamb shanks on a wire rack to cool lightly. Meanwhile, strain the liquids and veggies through a fine mesh sieve. Return liquids to pot and turn to medium heat. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened about five minutes.Pour the wine sauce into a bowl and stir in the harissa. Place some of the veggies onto a place, top with a lamb shank and cover with harissa wine sauce. Enjoy!
