Harissa braised lamb shanks

Hot sauces Armenian cuisine

This is a great, warming dish for the winter or spring, full of bright flavors. Harissa, which is a spicy North African condiment, gives rich braised lamb a little kick. I think that marinating meat with spices before braising amplifies the flavors. I'm also convinced that there is a big difference between a two hour braise and a three hour braise. I have also added a cup of chopped aromatic vegetables (fennel, celery, carrots) after the onion if I have them around. I don't mind putting time in the early preparations, since this dish pretty much cooks itself. For a braise like this I used an enameled cast iron braiser with a lid, for easy stove top to oven to table transitions.