Braised Moroccan Style Lamb With Dried Prunes Almonds And Apricots Recipes

BRAISED MOROCCAN-STYLE LAMB WITH DRIED PRUNES, ALMONDS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay the lamb out, skin side down, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and the thyme. Roll and tie well with butcher's string. Sprinkle the outside with 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large oven-proof casserole. Add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove lamb from pot. Add remaining tablespoon oil. Stir in onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon cumin, the rosemary and the red wine. Bring to a boil and cook about 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return the lamb to the pot, cover, place in the oven and bake until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and take out the meat. Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and place them in a blender. Blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture back into the pot and stir well. Place over medium heat and cook about 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Return the meat to the sauce and surround with the almonds, prunes and apricots. Cover and bake until meat is very tender and fruit is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Remove lamb from the pot, cut and remove string and cut lamb into thin slices. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little additional broth. Divide the lamb among 8 plates and spoon some sauce over the top. Serve immediately, passing any remaining sauce separately.

MOROCCAN LAMB WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Start by searing the lamb in a pan in 1 Tsp of olive oil or coconut oil and season. Whilst the meat is browning, in another pan add the entire contents of the passata and season, along with all the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and ginger) slice the apricots into halves and throw those into the pan as well and turn the heat to high.
• Once the lamb has browned, spoon it into the passata bring to the boil, place the lid on the pan and then simmer. Tip the diced onion and bell peppers in to the frying pan and cook for 8/10 mintues until softened, then add the sliced garlic and chillies and cook for another 2/3 minutes and add to the passata. Make sure you give the pan a good stir then chop up roughly a large bunch of coriander throw it in and stir
• Cook for about 40/50 minutes or until lamb is soft and tender then add in the drained chickpeas and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with cous cous and a flat bread.

SLOW-COOKED LAMB WITH PRUNES AND DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 250 degrees. In 7-quart flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over lamb shanks. Working in batches if necessary to keep them from touching during the initial searing, add shanks to pan (they should sizzle the moment they hit the pan). Cook lamb shanks until well browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes each side. Set browned lamb aside in a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the sumac, and stir to combine; set the mixture aside.
• Add onion to the casserole, and cook over medium heat until softened and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Add reserved stock mixture, apricot nectar, cinnamon stick, cloves, allspice, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, mint, and paprika; stir to combine.
• Return the reserved browned lamb shanks to the casserole. Place over medium-high heat, and bring the liquid in the casserole to a boil. Cover the pan, and transfer the casserole to the oven. Cook the mixture until the meat is tender, about 2 hours. Check the casserole in the oven occasionally to ensure a gentle simmer of the sauce, adjusting the heat of the oven or the height of the oven rack as necessary. The actual cooking time will vary depending on the size of the lamb shanks you started with. The meat should be very tender but should not fall off the bone, yet. Add the dried apricots, prunes, and chopped red bell pepper to the casserole, and continue to cook in the oven until the fruit has softened, about 1/2 hour more.
• Remove the cooked lamb shanks, apricots, prunes, and bell pepper from the casserole, and place them in the bowl with the lamb. Cover them with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside.
• Place the casserole over medium heat, and simmer until the liquid is thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes. Return the reserved lamb shanks, apricots, prunes, and bell pepper to the casserole just long enough to heat them through again, and stir them lightly to coat them with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve lamb shanks and sauce with couscous with mint and lemon.

MOROCCAN SLOW-COOKED LAMB

Steps:

• Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons 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 boil, scraping up browned bits. Return lamb to skillet and bring to 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. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.)
• Transfer lamb and sauce to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

MOROCCAN LAMB STEW WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Combine lamb, coriander, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cardamom, turmeric, and salt in a large bowl; toss together until lamb is evenly coated.
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, and cinnamon; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add seasoned lamb; cook, stirring frequently until light brown, being careful not to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the lamb is just tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Stir in apricots, orange peels, and honey; continue to simmer over low heat, uncovered, until the liquid has thickened slightly and lamb is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard cinnamon sticks and orange peels.
• Divide evenly among 4 bowls. Garnish each bowl with a tablespoon each of cilantro and pine nuts.

MOROCCAN LAMB WITH APRICOTS, ALMONDS & MINT

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Add the lamb and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until evenly browned, stirring often. Remove the lamb to a plate, using a slotted spoon.
• Stir the onion and garlic into the casserole and cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Return the lamb to the pot. Add the stock, zest and juice, cinnamon, honey and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 1 hour.
• Add the apricots and two-thirds of the mint and cook for 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Stir in the ground almonds to thicken the sauce. Serve with the remaining mint and toasted almonds scattered over the top.

MOROCCAN BRAISED LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, chile, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add celery, carrot, cumin, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, star anise, and saffron. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft and fragrant; season with salt and pepper.
• Add chicken stock, tomatoes, apricots, and olives; bring to a boil. Add lamb, making sure it is submerged halfway; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and cook, rotating lamb every 30 minutes, until meat is evenly browned and falling off the bone, and sauce is thickened.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in large wide ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add lamb in single layer; cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer lamb to rimmed baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onion and carrot and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add prunes, garlic, and cardamom and stir 2 minutes. Add both broths and bring to boil. Return lamb to pot, cover, and transfer to oven.
• Braise lamb until tender, about 1 3/4 hours. Transfer lamb to rimmed baking sheet. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return lamb to pot, turning to coat. DO AHEAD: Lamb can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, cover, and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing. Place lamb shanks on plates. Spoon sauce over.