Recipe: Braised Lamb with Quince & Saffron

A union of several delicious things

This recipe is part of the Kitchen Projects QUINCE INDEX, a curated selection of recipes that celebrate quince. For more quince-piration, from pickles to cakes, stews to jams, jellies to tarts, click here to learn more

A guest recipe by one of my favourite recipe developers, chefs and writers, aka the prince of quince, Jordon Ezra King. If you don’t already follow his excellent newsletter, I’d suggest signing up asap! His recipes are packed with flavour and his storytelling is second to none.

Braised Lamb with Quince & Saffron 

by Jordon Ezra King, author of Start by Chopping your onion

Quince is truly a cook’s fruit. Both in the sense that you have to try a bit harder to find one to cook with than you would an apple or pear, but also in the literal sense because it has to be cooked to be eaten. Quince is one of the world’s oldest fruit trees. Native to the Eastern Mediterranean, it has been cultivated as far back as human history has been recorded. This recipe uses flavours from that part of the world, what grows together goes together! 

A couple of notes: 2 big lamb shanks is probably enough to feed 4 if you’re serving this with rice, bread and maybe some veggies/ salad on the side, but you could do a shank per person too. 

I know some people don’t love rosewater and find it too perfumey. If that’s you, be brave here and add it, it’s very subtle and not at all like when used in sweets. 

Serves 4 

• 2-4 Lamb Shanks 

• A Knob of Butter 

• 1 Onion, diced 

• 2 Quince, peeled, and cut into 6ths 

• 1 Tbsp Ground Coriander 

• 1 Tbsp Sumac 

• 1 Tsp Ground Cumin 

• 1 Tsp Cinnamon 

• 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree 

• Zest and juice of half a lemon 

• 1 Inch of ginger, peeled and halved 

• 1 Bulb of Garlic, halved through the middle 

• 500ml Chicken Stock 

• 1 Tbsp Rosewater 

• Pinch of Saffron 

• Handful of Mint, chopped 

• Handful of Pomegranate Seeds 

Method (click below to see a video posted on Instagram of the method)

jordonezraking

A post shared by @jordonezraking

• Preheat your oven to 165c 

• Place a large, heavy pan (an enamelled cast iron with a lid is ideal) onto the hob over a medium heat. Season the lamb all over with a generous pinch of salt. Add a splash of olive oil and the lamb shanks. Brown off nicely all over, this will take 5-10 mins. 

• Set the lamb aside, reduce the heat slightly and add the diced onion to the pan with the butter and a pinch of salt. Cook until golden and soft, about 7 mins (this is a good time to peel, slice and core the quince, just like you would with a pear).

• Add all of the spices, the tomato puree, ginger and lemon peel. Cook for another 2 or 3 mins until the spices are fragrant and everything is well combined. 

• Pour in the stock (taste it first for seasoning), rosewater and garlic and rub the saffron between your fingers to crumble it in. Return the lamb to the pan and nestle in the quince around it. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer. 

• Place a sheet of greaseproof paper over the top, then the lid of your pan and place the whole thing into the oven for 2 hours to 2.5 hours. 

• I like to plate everything up in a large serving bowl, squeeze over the lemon and sprinkle over the mint and pomegranate. Serve over rice or with bread (or both!).