Deerfield cookbook author's quick, easy lamb shank is perfect for Passover - or any holiday

Our family, like most, have tried-and-true holiday traditions that we follow and cherish each year.

Not surprisingly, many of my family's holiday rituals center on food. I love the personal culinary challenge of presenting a new dish to see if it has what it takes to "make the team" of our beloved holiday menus.

In 2020, I perfected an ideal dish for Christmas, Easter and Passover: Braised Lamb Shanks. The pomegranate juice adds a bit of sweetness that brings out the delectable flavor of the lamb.

Your family and holiday guests will definitely be impressed with this easy and delicious recipe. And with this beautiful presentation, no one will believe that it took just five minutes to create. It's destined to be the star of your holiday dinner table. This dish is dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and nut-free.

• Karen Nochimowski of Deerfield, the mom behind MommaChef.com, has loved cooking for as long as she can remember. After friends and family begged to be let in on her culinary secrets, she decided to create a blog featuring the easy, quick recipes that everyone loved. All Momma Chef recipes are made with six ingredients or fewer and take less than six minutes of prep time. Karen also started and runs Momma Chef's Soup Kitchen and Momma Chef's Little Free Pantry, which provide food free to people in the Chicago area. Karen's first cookbook, "Six Minute Meals," coming in November 2022, is a cookbook of 100 simple and delicious recipes including nut-free and allergy-friendly options for busy families.

Braised Lamb Shanks With Pomegranate Glaze

2 cups pomegranate juice

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

3 chopped garlic cloves

3 lamb shanks (around 4 pounds)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Mix pomegranate juice, honey, rosemary, salt and garlic cloves in a large gallon-size zip-top bag.

Add the lamb shanks to the bag and, if possible, let it marinate several hours in the refrigerator.

This recipe can be made in a Dutch oven pot or in a slow cooker.

If making in the oven, pour all ingredients in the Dutch oven pot, add ½ cup water, cover and bake for 3 hours at 300 degrees.

If making in a slow cooker, pour all ingredients in the slow cooker, add ½ cup water, cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Serves 4

Karen Nochimowski