Moroccan Lamb with Prunes, Almonds & Apricots Served with Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 lamb shoulder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
- salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
- 2/3 large carrot, coarsely chopped
- 2/3 courgettes, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups lamb, chicken or veal stock
- 6 ounces tomatoes, chopped
- 5 1/2 ounces blanched almonds, toasted
- 4 ounces pitted prunes
- 4 ounces dried apricots
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 F. Lay lamb skin-side down and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon each cumin and pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Add 2 tablespoons oil to frying pan, stir in onion, carrot, courgette and garlic and, over medium-high heat cook until the onion has coloured slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of cumin and the rosemary, deglaze the pan with the red wine and bring to a boil. Pour in stock, add tomatoes, season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper Cover Lamb with contents of pan and return to oven. Place Tin Foil over dish. Braise until almost tender, about 2 hours. Turn lamb twice. Remove the meat and discard from bone. Place the meat in the sauce, surround with the almonds, prunes and apricots and return to the oven for 15 minutes longer, until the lamb is very tender and the dried fruit is soft. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little more stock. Serve with couscous.
