The flavors of Morocco: lamb and apricots, cumin, coriander, and allspice with a whisper of cinnamon. You can bring it all home for dinner tonight, so long as you prepare your slow cooker with the essential 18 ingredients in the morning.
It may sound like a lot of elements going into the dish, but the complexity of details is necessary to produce an authentic dish that is worthy of praise.
In choosing your cut of lamb for stew, opt for meat from the shoulder if you can, as this becomes incredibly tender after braising - the two-step process of browning the bite-sized chunks on the stove top, followed by a long, slow simmering.
As for the dried apricots, search for those that have not been treated with sulfites to keep your meal as clean as possible. They won't be bright orange, but it is the sweetness and flavor, not the color you are after here.
If you are on the other side of the fence about eating lamb, let us suggest that you whet your appetite with lamb and sweet potato cottage pie for a recipe that comes from perhaps a bit closer to home. Either way, your taste buds will thank you for exploring a new-to-you delicacy.
Serve with cauliflower rice, toasted slivered almonds for a nutty crunch, and a generous amount of sautéed greens of your choosing.
Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Stew Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep: 25 min Cook: 6h
Ingredients
- 2 lb. lamb stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
- 10 dried apricots
- 2 cups beef or lamb stock
- 1 tbsp. ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground allspice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro to garnish
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Brown the lamb on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Add all spices (cumin, fennel, coriander, ground cinnamon, ground allspice) to the meat, stir well, season to taste, and place in a slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes; then add to slow cooker.
- Add the carrots, tomatoes, parsnips, and dried apricots to the slow cooker, along with the coconut milk.
- Pour the beef stock over everything, top with the cinnamon stick, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb. lamb stew meat cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 2 to 3 carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 parsnips peeled and sliced
- 10 dried apricots
- 2 cups beef or lamb stock
- 1 tbsp. ginger minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground allspice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup coconut milk
- Fresh cilantro to garnish
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.2 tbsp. coconut oil
- Brown the lamb on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Add all spices (cumin, fennel, coriander, ground cinnamon, ground allspice) to the meat, stir well, season to taste, and place in a slow cooker.2 lb. lamb stew meat, 1 tbsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. fennel seeds, 1 tsp. ground coriander, ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp. ground allspice, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes; then add to slow cooker.1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp. ginger
- Add the carrots, tomatoes, parsnips, and dried apricots to the slow cooker, along with the coconut milk.2 tomatoes, 2 to 3 carrots, 2 parsnips, 10 dried apricots, ½ cup coconut milk
- Pour the beef stock over everything, top with the cinnamon stick, cover, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.2 cups beef or lamb stock, 1 cinnamon stick
- Serve topped with fresh cilantro.Fresh cilantro
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