Moroccan Lamb Stew with Apricots

The lamb gets mellow from cooking until tender, and the warm spices take away any overly “lamby” flavor. The apricots, cilantro, and pine nuts are a wonderful combination. This stew took very little time or effort–very nice for a complex-flavored dish like this. This would be great with crusty bread, served over couscous, or with chickpeas added in for a heartier meal.

Preparation Details

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 55 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 2 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup dried apricots, halved
• 2 (3 inch) orange peel strips
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Steps

1. Combine lamb, coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cardamom, turmeric, and salt in a large bowl; toss together until lamb is evenly coated.
2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and cinnamon; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add seasoned lamb; cook, stirring frequently until light brown, being careful not to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the lamb is just tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
3. Stir in apricots, orange peels, and honey; continue to simmer over low heat, uncovered, until the liquid has thickened slightly and lamb is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard cinnamon sticks and orange peels.
4. Divide evenly among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with a tablespoon each of cilantro and pine nuts.