Hearty Hiking Morrocan Lamb Stew

We enjoyed this meal after hiking the trails of Lord Howe Island.


Ingredients

  • Olive Oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 3 carrots, cubed

  • 6 small peeled potatoes, cube

  • salt and pepper

  • 1.25 kg boneless leg of lamb cut into a large cube

  • 3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

  • ½ cup dried apricots

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1 bay leaf, 1 ½ tsp ground allspice, 1 ½ tsp Moroccan spice blend, ½ tsp ground ginger

  • 6 plum tomatoes from a can, cut in halves

  • 2 ½ cups beef broth

  • 400ml can chickpeas

Method

  1. In a large heavy oven-safe pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil

  2. In the heated oil, saute the onions, carrots, and potatoes for 4 minutes or so. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pot and set aside briefly.

  3. In the same pot, add more oil if needed, and deeply brown the lamb on all sides. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Turn heat to medium-high and return the sauteed vegetables to the pot. Add the dried apricots, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and spices and stir to coat.

  5. Add the plum tomatoes and broth and bring everything to a boil for 5 minutes or so.

  6. Cover the pot and place in the 180 C heated-oven for 1 ½ hours (check partway through to add water or broth if needed). Now stir in the chickpeas, cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

OR

  1. Transfer the lamb stew to a large slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours, then stir in chickpeas and cook another 1 to 2 hours (total of up to 8 hours.) Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours in total

  2. Remove from the oven and serve hot with your choice of rice, couscous topped with toasted slivered almonds and green beans.

** If you want a vegetarian option- omit the lamb and add cubed sweet potato or pumpkin, double the tomatoes and chickpeas and use a vegetable broth…. and reduce cooking time by half.


Jo Vartanian