Moroccan Lamb Meatball Stew With Butternut Squash Recipes

MAKE-AHEAD MOROCCAN LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Combine cinnamon, cumin, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, turmeric, curry powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix in the ground lamb. For most flavorful results, allow mixture to rest, refrigerated, overnight.
• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion in the butter until soft and just beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Mix the spiced lamb mixture to the onions. Cook and stir until meat is browned, about 5 minutes.
• Pour the beef broth, chicken broth, and consomme into the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, honey, carrots, sweet potatoes, garbanzo beans, dried apricots and lentils. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low.
• Simmer stew for 30 minutes or until the vegetables and lentils are cooked and tender. Season with black pepper to taste.

LAMB STEW WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Season lamb with salt.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook and stir 1/2 the lamb cubes in hot oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer browned meat with a slotted spoon to a plate, reserving drippings in the pot. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the Dutch oven. Cook and stir second 1/2 the lamb cubes until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer lamb to plate. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Cook and stir onion, carrots, and garlic in Dutch oven until slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir lamb cubes and any accumulated juices, tomatoes, beef stock, thyme, and rosemary into onion mixture and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cover Dutch oven with an oven-proof lid.
• Cook stew in the covered Dutch oven in the preheated oven until the lamb is tender, 2 to 3 hours. Stir butternut squash cubes into stew, recover the Dutch oven, and return to the preheated oven until squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

MOROCCAN LAMB AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW

Steps:

• Season the lamb with salt and pepper. In a large pot heat the oil over medium high heat, then brown the lamb on all sides, about 6 minutes in all. Transfer the lamb to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the onions and garlic to the same pan and sauté for about 5 minutes over medium heat until the onions are tender and lightly golden.
• Add the ginger, coriander, cinnamon and red pepper flakes to the pot and stir so that the onion is coated with the spices. Add the tomatoes and the water, return the lamb to the pot, and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and keep it at a low simmer for about 2 hours, until the lamb is almost tender. Add the squash and simmer for another 45 minutes until the lamb is very tender and the squash is cooked through.
• Sprinkle over or stir in the parsley and serve hot.

MOROCCAN LAMB STEW WITH PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Trim excess fat and gristle from meat and cut lamb into 1-inch cubes. Place meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and saffron; sprinkle over the meat and set aside.
• On a cutting board, mince together the orange zest, cilantro leaves, garlic, and salt until you have a paste. Add to the meat along with the orange juice and stir well to coat. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Transfer the mixture to a heavy pot, add the onions, tomatoes, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer (or bake in a preheated 350 degree oven) until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add olives and, if using, preserved lemon to the pot. Cook about 10 minutes more, then serve.
• Wash a 1-pint glass-canning jar and its lid with hot soapy water; rinse and dry thoroughly.
• Cut 6 of the lemons, 1 at a time, into quarters through 1 end without cutting all the way through the other end. You want the lemon to open out like a flower, but not to separate. Place the lemon on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper, spread quarters open and sprinkle flesh with a heaping tablespoon of kosher salt; put the lemon into the jar. Continue with remaining lemons, sprinkling salt on each. Pack the lemons in the jar tightly, filling it to the top (you may need more or less than 6 lemons, depending on their size). When you reach the top, lift the parchment and pour the excess salt from it into the jar of lemons.
• Slide the bay leaves down opposite sides of the jar. Juice the remaining lemons 1 by 1, adding juice to the jar, until it reaches the top. Seal jar, shake well, and let stand at room temperature, shaking well every 12 hours, for 1 week. After 1 week, transfer jar to the refrigerator, continuing to shake every day. Lemons are preserved after 3 weeks and keep up to several months in the refrigerator.
• To use lemons, pull out as needed and scrape away pulp. Dice peel and use as a condiment.

MOROCCAN MEATBALL STEW

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: line a cookie sheet with plastic wrap. Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Using moistened hands and about 2 tablespoons of the mixture make 1 1/2 inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on the cookie sheet. I prepared these ahead and put in the fridge.
• To make the stew: heat oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and saute them for 15 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, cinnamon, turmeric and saffron (if using) and cook stirring for 2 minutes.
• Stir in broth, tomatoes and raisins.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bring stew to a simmer and stir in carrots and meatballs. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cilantro. Cover pot and place in oven.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes.
• Sprinkle with spinach and cover and bake another 5 minutes.
• Stir to mix and remove cinnamon sticks.

MOROCCAN LAMB STEW

Steps:

• Mix salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat with spice mixture. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to pot and sauté until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Return all lamb to pot. Add onion, garlic and ginger to pot and sauté 5 minutes. Add 1 1/3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until lamb is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grate peel from blood oranges and reserve. Cut all remaining peel and white pith from oranges and discard. Coarsely chop oranges. Add oranges and grated peel to lamb. Cover and simmer until lamb is very tender, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in parsley and honey. Season with salt and pepper.

MARRAKECH LAMB WITH TAHINI SQUASH GRATIN

Steps:

• Remove the lamb from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature while you prepare the stuffing. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and fry for 8-10 mins until starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 1 min more, then scoop out into a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, herbs, pistachios, feta, cherries, lemon and tahini. Season and mix everything together. Unroll the lamb and season well on both sides. Pack the stuffing down the centre of the lamb, pressing to help it stick, then re-roll and tie up with kitchen string (see tip, below left). Flip the lamb over so it is seam-side down, and pack any stuffing that has fallen out back in. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Now assemble the gratin. Slice the squash in half to separate the thinner top half and the bulbous bottom half. Peel both pieces with either a sturdy peeler or a sharp knife. Cut down the centre of the thinner piece, then slice very thinly into half moons. Halve the bottom piece and scoop out the seeds, then thinly slice this too. Whisk the tahini, cream and stock in a jug with some seasoning. Arrange the sliced squash in a shallow ovenproof baking dish, approximately 22 x 30cm, seasoning well between the layers. Finish with a layer of neatly lined-up half moon slices. Pour over the tahini stock.
• Place the lamb on top of the gratin, seam-side down, and rub with the remaining oil. Place in the centre of the oven and roast for 1 hr 20 mins for slightly pink lamb. Lift the lamb off the gratin and transfer to a plate, covered with foil to keep warm, and leave to rest. 4 While the lamb rests, increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Spoon any excess fat off the top of the gratin, then return to the oven for 20 mins until golden and crisp. Place the lamb back on top of the gratin to serve, scattered with mint leaves and a pot of Saffron yogurt (see tip, below left) on the side.

MOROCCAN LAMB MEATBALL STEW WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• For meatballs: combine ground lamb through garlic, salt and pepper, form into 1 inch balls. Sautee in 2 tablespoons oil approximately 20 minutes turning to brown evenly. They should be firm enough to hold their shape when added to the stew.
• While meatballs cook, prepare stew.
• For stew: Place 2 tbsp oil in medium hot pan, add butternut squash and sautee about 5 minutes, add onion and cook till translucent, add bell peppers and garlic, cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, spices, chicken broth, and raisins,
• cook till squash is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add more broth or water if needed. Mixture should be a little soupy, squash will thicken stew as it cooks.
• Add meatballs to stew and cook for about 10 more minutes.
• Serve over couscous for a traditional Moroccan style, or with any grain you prefer.