This is the first part of Joe and mine’s celebration of the Wagyu beef shank we bought from The Butcher’s Table in South Lake Union. As befits the name, the butchery was immaculate, and the shank had immense flavor. We decided to pursue a  Moroccan flavor profile with a Ras el Hanout spice mix from World Spice in Pike Place Market. Normally one would use this method with lamb shanks, so this is our twist to it. We served it with a Harissa tomato sauce, Mint Yogurt, Cous Cous, and roasted veggies.

Ras el Hanout Shank

Not much of a recipe for this. I used a spice mix from World Spice and rubbed it all over the outside of the 2kg Wagyu beef shank. Sous vide at 80c for 24 hours until the meat is falling off the bone. Finely chop some mint to add to Yogurt. I used a Greek yogurt from Ellenos in Seattle. Roast some zucchini and bell peppers in the oven, and cook cous cous until tender. Add the Bell Peppers to the cous cous.

For the harissa sauce, mix equal parts of freshly ground harissa and olive oil, and heat in a pan while stirring. Once the spices are integrated, stir in some tomato sauce, salt, and water, until you reach a tolerable heat level and a pleasing texture. Top the shank with the sauce

Ras el Hanout Cocktail

For the cocktail, we kept it very simple, choosing to highlight the flavors of the Ras el Hanout. With fresh whole spices, the key is to mobilize the perfume with some kind of effervescence. The goal here is bring the spices to the front, so any complex spirits would be a distraction. For that reason, the drink is composed of vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, fresh spices, and carbonated water. Despite the seemingly basic highball format, the drink develops a rich complexity of exotic flavors.

See you next time. Hungry Eyes Full Heart, Can’t Lose!