Moroccan Lamb Stew

 Hi there! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! I have so much food blogging back log it is making me anxious! I was of course on pie duty this year and have a number of Thanksigiving pie recipes to post - pecan, chocolate pecan, sweet potato, pear almond cranberry tart - yum - they all turned out wonderfully!  And all too soon I embark on the weekend Christmas cookie crusade, piling up reserves and filling my ice box with cookie tins in preparation for Christmas binging.  I love this time of year and Christmas cookies are my favorite.  I have been doing them for 4 years now I think and no,  I never sneak a warm cookie or spoonful of dough while baking... and even if I did, that is 100% calorie free. 

Anyways, before the baking frenzy hits, I have some recipes I have been meaning to post.  This Moroccan Lamb Stew is soooooo freaking delicious.  I can't describe.  The way the flavors combine -- cinnamon, apricot, chickpea, tomato -- is some sort of magic.  It is not sweet but not spicy.  It is perfectly a little sweet and spicy.  The meat is sooo tender and wonderful.  My step dad passed this one a long, with his changes, from epicurious.  Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds trimmed boned lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces (I used half bone-in - this added great flavor and kept the lamb very tender)
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1 cup dried apricots (about 5 ounces)
• 4 tomatoes with juices from a 28 oz can of large plum tomatoes, chopped up
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons (packed) grated lemon peel

Instructions:

1.  Combine first 6 ingredients (cumin, coriander, salt, fennel seeds, cayenne, and black pepper) in medium bowl.

2.  Add lamb and toss to coat.

3.  Chop onion.

4.  Cut up your tomatoes.

5. Mince the ginger.

6.  Grate the lemon peel.

7. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in heavy dutch oven or other pot over medium high heat.  Working in batches, add lamb and cook, browning on all sides.  Add more oil between batches.  About 8 minutes per batch.  Set browned lamb aside.

8.  Add onion and tomato paste to drippings in skillet. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

9.  Add broth, garbanzo beans, apricots, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and lemon peel and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.

10.  Return lamb to skillet, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until lamb is tender, about an hour and a half.

11.  Uncover and simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.)

Transfer lamb and sauce to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with Jasmine rice, or cous cous.  Enjoy!