Meat Recipes

Moroccan lamb with apricots, almonds & mint

Serves 4

Ingredients :

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 550g cubed lamb
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 700ml lamb or chicken stock
• grated zest and juice 1 orange
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp clear honey
• 175g dried apricots
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 25g ground almonds
• 25g toasted flaked almonds
• steamed broccoli and couscous, to serve

1. Heat oil in a large casserole dish. Add lamb and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until evenly browned. Stir often. Remove the lamb to a plate and set aside.
2. Add onion and garlic to the casserole dish; cook gently for 5 minutes until softened. Add the lamb, stock, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, honey and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and cook gently for 1 hour.
3. Add apricots and two-thirds of the mint. Cook for 30 minutes until lamb is tender. Stir in the ground almonds.
4. Serve with broccoli and couscous, garnish with the remaining mint and toasted almonds scattered over the top.

Moorish Lamb

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lb lamb shoulder or leg (boneless) or 5-6 lb if bone in
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 3-5 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup sherry
• 2 Tbsp almonds

1. Make a spice mixture by combining the cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub mixture over lamb.
2. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan and sauté the onions and garlic until onions are translucent.
3. Add lamb and brown on both sides. Once browned, add 2-3 cups of stock – just enough to cover the meat. Bring to the boil then cover pan and reduce heat to a simmer.
4. Cook for 1 to 1.5 hours, checking every 15 minutes.  Add more liquid as necessary. The meat should be cooked through and tender.
5.   Place raisins into a small bowl & pour over sherry.  Grind almonds. 15 minutes before the lamb is cooked – add sherry, almonds & apricots to pan.
6. Serve with couscous or white rice.