Moroccan Slow-Cooked Lamb

My husband always cooks an amazing meal when we visit with my mother-in-law and this weekend was no different. Ok, I know, he cooks amazing meals every night, but on the weekend there's a bit more time to put into his dishes. This recipe is one that he got from the epicurious.com site. He and I both go there for meal ideas. Some of us more often than others. The original recipe for this dish calls for couscous, but he used basmati rice instead. I've never been a huge fan of apricots, and my husband doesn't like fruit with meat, but after eating this dish, we've got a new love of apricots.

What you’ll need

1 tbs ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp fennel seeds

0.5 tsp cayenne pepper

0.5 tsp ground blk pepper

2.5 pounds trimmed boned lamb shoulder, cut into 1.5 to 2 inch pieces

4 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 tbs tomato paste

2 cups chicken broth

1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas, drained

1 cup of dried apricots

2 large plum tomatoes, chopped

2 cinnamon sticks

1 tbs minced peeled fresh ginger

2 tsp grated lemon peel

Cooked basmati rice

What to do

Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat.

Heat 2 tbs oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, turning occasionally and adding 2 more tablespoons oil to skillet between batches, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to another large bowl after each batch.

Add onion and tomato paste to drippings in skillet. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth, garbanzo beans, apricots, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and lemon peel and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Return lamb to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until lamb is just tender, about 1 hour. Uncover and simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 

Line a plate with basmati rice, then add the lamb and sauce. 

Total time, approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.