Moroccan- style Stew
- a little oil
- 2 rounded tablespoons Onion Marmalade
- 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and ground ginger
- a good pinch of ground cinnamon
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- 2 tablespoons each of stoned black olives and capers, drained and rinsed
- 180ml red wine
- 180ml water or mild stock
- 250g dried fruits – a mixture of apricots and prunes is lovely
- 4 teacups (400-500g) cooked lamb, trimmed and cut into pieces
- salt and pepper
Instructions:
This fake ‘tagine’ works well with any meat, though lamb is perhaps the most delicious with this clinging, sweet and winey sauce. Or you could forget the meat and use root vegetables instead, adding them with the onion marmalade at the start.
- In a heavy-based pan, gently heat a little oil and the onion marmalade. Stir in the cumin, ginger and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. Add all the other ingredients except the meat, stir well and cover. Cook slowly on the hob or in a low oven (150°C/Gas Mark 2) for 40 minutes or so, until the sauce has reduced by a good third. Add the meat and heat through for 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve with couscous and a green salad.
Consider Also- Pork or chicken Substitute pork or chicken for the lamb, use green instead of black olives and white instead of red wine, and add a lemon, cut into 8 segments, or some preserved lemon. Serve with chopped parsley.
- Beef Substitute beef for the lamb and add several raw potatoes, peeled and cut into smallish pieces, right at the start with the onion marmalade. Leave out the capers. Chunks of fennel could also be added with the potatoes.