Tagine-Style Lamb Stew

Last night my sister cooked dinner at my house for six people (myself included). She made this delicious Tagine-Style Lamb Stew recipe from the New York Times, and after seeing how incredibly easy it was to make, I would definitely add it to my own repertoire. I love the easy method of a no-browning stew and the flavor was just as rich as a meat stew that had been browned.

I made a sort of Moroccan-inspired green salad with fennel, black olives, mint and red onion, garnished with grated ricotta salata and orange slices.

Tagine-Style Lamb Stew
From the New York Times

2 pounds lamb shoulder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 20-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cooked couscous, for serving.

1. Trim excess fat from the lamb and cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the lamb, onion, garlic, pepper, salt, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, apricot preserves and vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until the aroma of the spices is strong, about 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not allow the meat to brown.)
3. Add chickpeas and stock, bring just to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently until the lamb is very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
4. Add the raisins and continue to cook, uncovered, until they are nicely plumped, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and lemon juice, and serve with couscous.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.