Lamb, Prune And Almond Stew

[Sweeter_Pea]

10 ml (2 teaspoons) coriander seeds
10 ml (2 teaspoons) cumin seeds
5 ml (1 teaspoon) chilli powder
5 ml (1 teaspoon) paprika
5 ml (1 teaspoon) turmeric
60 ml (4 tablespoons) sunflower oil
5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1,4 kg stewing lamb, cubed
30 ml (2 tablespoons) butter
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 liter (4 cups) beef stock
250 g pitted prunes
2 sticks cinnamon
2 bay leaves
125 ml (1/2 cup) ground almonds
salt and pepper to taste
12 baby onions
15 ml (1 tablespoon) honey
toasted almond slivers to garnish
chopped parsley to garnish


Preheat oven to 180 ºC (350 ºF).
1. Blend the coriander, cumin, chilli powder, paprika turmeric and garlic with the oil in a food processor. Coat the lamb with this paste and leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and cook the onions and carrots for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the lamb with the onions and carrots to the casserole dish. Add the prunes, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and almonds and pour the stock over. Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 3 hours until the meat is really tender.
4. Meanwhile, brown the baby onions in the saucepan in which the onions and carrots where cooked. Add the honey and cook until the onions are caramelized. Add the onions to the casserole dish 40 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
5. Remove the lamb, carrots and baby onions from the sauce. Bring the sauce to the boil in the saucepan and reduce to a tick consistency. Return the lamb, carrots and baby onions to the casserole dish, add the remaining prunes and pour over the sauce. Cover the casserole dish and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
6. Garnish with the roasted almond slivers and chopped parsley just before serving.

[liberte]

Now that is gorgeous!

[Sweeter_Pea]

hahahha I thought you might like it.

[liberte]

Thanks! I love lamb, cooked just about any way!
I once made a big disaster trying to cook an Algerian lamb dish - really embarrasing!

[Sweeter_Pea]

Improvise, that's what I do because sometimes I have a hard time following recipes

[liberte]

I normally do but this one was beyond any help by the time I had fininshed with it!

[Sweeter_Pea]

yipes, i hate when that happens. I don't cook lamb a lot but when I do I keep it simple, the secret is to add a bit of smith & wolensky steak sauce