After our relaxing Irish vacation and a brief Birthday Bonanza hiatus, we’re back! I’m sorry to leave you with nothing more than a loaf of bread to look at, but I have much more in store for you this week. Being without a kitchen for a week made me anxious to come back and cook. Plus after all that Guinness and all those scones, it was time for something a little more well-balanced.
When we got back, all Sam and I wanted to eat was simple pastas. More on those later this week, but I just couldn’t wait to blog about tonight’s dinner! Since it’s cold and wet tonight, we decided to do a one pot wonder – a Moroccan lamb stew with carrots and raisins. It was incredibly fragrant – sweet and savory at the same time – and I was pretty excited that such a spice-filled meal came successfully out of my generally spice-less kitchen. It simmers for an hour and a half with hardly any need for attention, and it was perfect served over couscous.
Moroccan Lamb Stew
Serves 2-3
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 lb. lamb shoulder chop on the bone
olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 carrots, cut into inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 1/3 c. water
½ c. raisins
Mix the first 5 ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Heat oil in a dutch oven or heavy pot. Dredge the lamb in the spice mix and brown the meat in batches about 3 minutes a side. Remove the meat and reserve. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and ginger to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Return the meat to the pot and add the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and cover. Let simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. After an hour, add the raisins and let simmer for another 30 minutes.