Lamb Stew with Fennel and Moroccan Spices
:
Cooking Time:
01:15:00
Difficulty:
Medium
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
I love this north African inspired lamb dish with a glass of our Grenache, "L'Autre". The fennel, olives and spices are a great match.
I like to serve this with couscous in a deep wide bowl. Mix the yogurt with a little sriracha sauce and put a dollop on top. Sliced carrots sautéed with olive oil, ginger, garlic and cumin are also a nice accompaniment.
This can easily be made ahead and reheated.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb
- 2 tbsps butter
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 fresh fennel bulb
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground New Mexico chile
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup oil/dry cured olives, pitted (dry, wrinkly olives)
- 1 cup whole tomatoes (from a can)
- 1 tbsp minced fennel top
- yogurt and sriracha sauce
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°
Trim any fat or tough muscle from the lamb, then cut into 1 ½” chunks. Pat the meat dry with paper towels (to get better browning). In a Dutch oven or other deep ovenproof pan with a lid, heat the butter and olive oil over medium high. Brown the meat, in batches if necessary, and remove to a bowl when nicely browned on all sides (about 5 minutes).
Cut the fennel bulb in half, then slice across the bulb in ¼” slices. Turn the heat down to low and add the onions, garlic and fennel to the pan. Stir and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until the onions are limp. Add all the spices and stir to coat the vegetables. Return the meat to the pan and stir to combine.
Turn the heat up to high and add the chicken stock and red wine. Add the olives. Crush the tomatoes with your hand into the pot. Stir until the stew begins to simmer. Stir in the fennel top and turn the heat off. Put the lid on and make sure you have a tight seal.
Place in the oven and braise for 1 hour, or until meat is very tender. Check after 1 hour.Taste for salt.
Remove any fat using a fat separator pitcher or, if you have refrigerated the stew for later eating the fat can easily be skimmed off.
Recipe by Jane O'Riordan
