Author Notes
This was an attempt to come up with a long cooked taste on a busy weeknight. Jamison Lamb from Pennsylvania sells at my local farmstand and their shoulder meat (from happy grass fed sheep) is precut into chunks perfect for this dish. - healthierkitchen —healthierkitchen
Test Kitchen Notes
Lighter and more brothy than what we typically imagine when we think of lamb stew, healthierkitchen's one-pot dish packs a lot of flavor without being a rib-sticker. The butternut squash soaks up the spiced broth and is a subtle counterpoint to the rich, meaty lamb and sweet, tender prunes. The spice mixture brings the lamb to life (make sure to go for a nicely marbled shoulder), and the lemon zest and green olives lift the dish with bright hits of acidity. We cooked our lamb for a little longer than 30 minutes, until it was nice and tender -- the squash started to break down, which we didn't mind, but if you prefer the chunks whole, just cut them a little bigger. - A&M —The Editors
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
-
1 teaspoon
turmeric
-
2 teaspoons
ground cumin
-
1 1/2 teaspoons
ground coriander
-
1 teaspoon
paprika
-
1 teaspoon
cinnamon
-
1 teaspoon
raz el hanout (optional - some of the flavors duplicate what's in here, so don't worry about leaving it out if you don't have it)
-
2 pounds
boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
-
2 to 3 tablespoons
olive oil
-
1
large onion, halved and thinly sliced
-
3
cloves garlic, minced
-
2 cups
homemade or low or no sodium chicken stock
-
1 cup
pitted prunes, halved if large
-
2 cups
cubed butternut or acorn squash
-
1/2 cup
Spanish green olives, pitted
-
2 teaspoons
lemon zest, about one lemon (if you have preserved lemon, you can use the skin of 1/2, rinsed and minced)
-
3 teaspoons
chopped parsley
Directions
-
Combine the salt, pepper and other spices in a large bow. Add the lamb pieces and toss to coat.
-
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and brown the lamb chunks in batches, using additional oil as needed. Remove the lamb chunks to a plate as cooked. Remove some of the fat from the pan if a lot has rendered, leaving only a light coating.
-
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion has softened and become translucent, about 4 or 5 minutes.
-
Add the stock to the pan and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of pan.
-
Return the lamb to the pan, along with any juices, and add the prunes, squash, olives and lemon zest.
-
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 45 minutes, until the lamb is tender.
-
Taste for salt and pepper and garnish with the parsley. Serve with whole wheat couscous.
See what other Food52ers are saying.