I didn't eat much lamb growing up - so this was a bit of a challenge! My take on a moroccan-inspired lamb stew, it's rich in flavor, mainly Ras el hanout and allspice, and goes so well with basmati rice and butter beans!
Not pictured: basmati rice with butter beans - we ate it before I could even take a picture! It also goes well over a bed of bulgur wheat.
Slow cooker Moroccan-inspired lamb stew
Makes: 6-7 generous servings
Ingredients
Lamb stew
1 kg lamb of leg, bone in, excess fat removed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
6 golden potatoes, peeled, cubed (optional)
1 zucchini, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp ground all spice
1 ½ tsp Ras el hanout
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp coriander
3 cardamom pods
½ cup dried apricots
½ tsp ginger
3 bay leaves
1 can plum tomatoes, halved
1 beef broth cube, crumbled
1 ½-2 cup beef broth (you want some liquid in the crockpot but not too much)
Rice with butter beans
2 cups basmati rice
1 can butter beans or chickpeas
¼ cup parsley finely chopped
3 tbsp juices from crockpot
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Directions for lamb stew
Remove excess fat from the lamb.
Combine all spices together in a bowl except for bay leaves, apricots, and ginger.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large deep pan or pot. Once hot, sauté the onions, carrots, optional potatoes, and zucchini for 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic and season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pot, add more oil if needed, and sear leg of lamb on all sides for 2-4 minutes or until desired browned. Turn the heat down to medium-high heat and add the sautéed vegetables to the pan.
Add the dried apricots, ginger, bay leaves and spices and stir to coat. Add the halved plum tomatoes, crumbled broth cube, and broth and bring everything to boil for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and transfer lamb stew to large slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for about 8-10 hours. After cooking, shred lamb with two forks and remove bone and any remaining fat.
Once cooked, I like to fry it over high heat with some olive oil to brown the meat a bit - it adds some flavor. If you'd like to do this optional step: add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large pan, add the shredded lamb in batches, and coat with juices from crockpot. Serve with rice and vegetables from the stew.
Directions for rice
Cook basmati rice according to packaging. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add butter beans. Sauté beans for about 1-2 minutes until they begin to brown. Add the basmati rice to the pan along with finely chopped parsley and combine well. Add 2-3 tbsp of juices from crockpot and combine well. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with stew.
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