Pressure-Cooked Lebanese Lamb Shank with Eggplant and Apricot
A hearty Lebanese-inspired dish featuring tender lamb shanks pressure-cooked with seasonal eggplant and sweet dried apricots. The dish balances savory and sweet flavors, highlighting classic Middle Eastern spices, and is perfect for a comforting weeknight meal.
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Overview
This Pressure-Cooked Lebanese Lamb Shank with Eggplant and Apricot is a soul-satisfying braise that melds tender, fall-off-the-bone lamb with the sweetness of dried apricots and the rich earthiness of eggplant. Infused with traditional Middle Eastern spices like cinnamon, cumin, and allspice, the dish bursts with complex flavors while being incredibly simple to prepare thanks to the pressure cooker. It is perfect served over a bed of fluffy couscous or rice for a comforting and elegant meal.
Why you’ll love it
- Quickly tenderizes tough lamb shanks using a pressure cooker, saving hours of slow braising time.
- Balances savory and sweet notes with apricots and warm spices typical of Lebanese cuisine.
- Uses seasonal eggplant to add texture and depth to the dish.
- One-pot meal minimizing cleanup and maximizing flavor infusion.
Ingredient notes
Lamb shanks: Choose good quality, fresh lamb shanks with some marbling for flavor and tenderness.
Eggplant: Medium-sized eggplants work best, peeled if desired to reduce bitterness.
Dried apricots: Use unsweetened or lightly sweetened dried apricots for balanced sweetness.
Spices: Ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and allspice bring characteristic warmth and depth.
Liquids: Lamb or beef stock enriches the cooking liquid, and a splash of lemon juice adds brightness at the end.
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Serving & storage
Serve the lamb shanks on a platter with the sauce spooned over, accompanied by couscous, rice, or warm flatbread. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro for color and freshness. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in a microwave, adding a splash of stock or water if needed to loosen the sauce.
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Chef tips
- For extra richness, brown the lamb shanks in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- If dried apricots are very dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes before chopping to soften.
- Be cautious when releasing pressure; use oven mitts and keep face away from valve to avoid steam burns.
- Leftovers taste excellent the next day as flavors deepen after resting overnight.
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks (about 1.2 kg total)lamb shanks
- 2 tbsp olive oilolive oil
- 1 large onion, finely choppedonion
- 4 garlic cloves, mincedgarlic
- 1 medium eggplant (about 300 g), dicedeggplant
- 150 g dried apricots, choppeddried apricots
- 1 tsp ground cinnamonground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cuminground cumin
- 1 tsp ground corianderground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground allspiceground allspice
- 400 ml lamb or beef stocklamb or beef stock
- 1 tbsp tomato pastetomato paste
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to tastesalt and pepper
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (for garnish)fresh parsley or cilantro
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Equipment
- pressure cooker
- large heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker insert
- wooden spoon
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- citrus juicer
Nutrition per serving
- Calories620
- Protein45 g
- Carbs30 g
- Fat35 g
Step-by-step
Step 1
Pat lamb shanks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.Step 2
Heat olive oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add lamb shanks and brown them on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove lamb shanks and set aside.Step 3
Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.Step 4
Add minced garlic, ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and allspice. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.Step 5
Stir in tomato paste and cook for an additional 2 minutes to deepen flavor.Step 6
Add diced eggplant and chopped dried apricots. Stir to combine all ingredients.Step 7
Return the browned lamb shanks to the pot. Pour in the lamb or beef stock, ensuring the liquid covers at least two-thirds of the shanks.Step 8
Seal the pressure cooker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Cook at high pressure for 45 minutes to tenderize the lamb shanks thoroughly.Step 9
After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.Step 10
Open the cooker and remove the lamb shanks to a serving platter. Stir the sauce and reduce it over medium heat if needed to thicken, about 5-7 minutes.Step 11
Stir in lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce with eggplant and apricots over the lamb shanks.Step 12
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and serve immediately with couscous, rice, or flatbread.
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