Skip to main content

Maple Harissa Moroccan Lamb


This is a crowd pleaser - spicy and rich, a great dish for a summer meal out on the picnic table. Slow cooking in the oven takes time but is so worth the tender lamb it produces.

We made this as a team at a recent impromptu visit to our sister in law on sugarday Farm in Charlottesville.  Ten family and friends descended on the farm at the last minute - an inevitable feast ensued.


4 lb boneless leg of lamb, cubed - 1”
2 Tbsp Ras el Hanout, Moroccan spice blend (or garam masala)

1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2-3 stalks celery, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained - liquid reserved
2 Tbsp harissa paste (I used Cava brand)
1 quart beef broth
1/4 cup maple syrup

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup Madeira wine, optional
8 oz dried, pitted dates, cut in half

Toss the lamb cubes with the Raw el Hanout spice mix.  Salt and pepper generously.  Allow cubes to marinate at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 250F.  While the lamb finishes marinating, sauté the onion, celery and carrots in a dash of olive oil in a large oven-going Dutch oven or pan.  Cook at least 10 minutes to caramelize the veggies a bit.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Set veggies aside.  
Brown lamb cubes in batches in more olive oil, until all sides are nicely browned.  After the last batch of lamb is browned and removed to a bowl, add the drained tomatoes to the pot.  Cook them over high heat for about 10 minutes to darken tomatoes and develop their flavor.  Add enough oil so that you fry the tomatoes rather than boiling them in their juices.  This develops flavor. Add the harissa and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Return veggies to the pan and turn in the lamb.  
Add the beef broth, maple syrup and reserved tomato liquid.  Bring to a gentle boil, stir and cover Dutch oven.  Bake in oven for an hour. Stir every 20 minutes.

Remove stew from oven and stir in the garbanzo beans.  
Add the Madeira wine, if using. Cover stew and bake another hour in the oven. Stir every 20 minutes.

Remove stew from oven and stir in the dates.  
Bake covered for another 30 minutes.  The lamb should now be very tender indeed.

Serves 10.  Serve with couscous and roasted butternut squash, if desired. We desired.

Cook’s Notes:  If you don't have Ras el Hanout, you could substitute garam masala or your favorite curry powder.  

I also made this same dish with grass fed beef short ribs.  I did not have dates so I used a mixture of dried cranberries, blueberries and cherries from Trader Joe’s.  
It was fantastic served with Israeli couscous.

Sugarday Farm, June 2019





Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375F. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Scrambled Benedict

This is the ultimate Sunday brunch item. Don't be intimidated about making a Hollandaise sauce - it is so much easier and quicker than you may think. And it is oh, so luscious over eggs.  You can poach your eggs or fry them; whatever you prefer.  My favorite is poached, but others in the family like scrambled better, so I scrambled. Happy brunching. Hollandaise Sauce: 2 egg yokes, in a small bowl 1/2 cup butter, just melted in microwave 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp salt ~1 Tbsp lukewarm water 2 English muffins 2 remaining egg whites 3   eggs 1 Tbsp cream dash dried dill Set up a double boiler (I use a medium pot with a metal bowl on top), and bring 2 cups water to the boil. Reduce heat to low. In the yet unheated double boiler top bowl, whisk together the butter, lemon juice, mustard and salt. Warm over double boiler. Whisk the egg yokes together.   Slowly whisk the yokes into the warmed butter mixture, drizzling the yokes in slowly.   Whisk continuously.   If the
Post a Comment
Read more

Coconut Rice Noodles with Eggplant

Noodle bowls are always a welcome dish for a wholesome dinner meal after an outing like grooming roses with your Park friends. Or whatever you've been doing in the afternoon. This will satisfy an appetite after a good day's work, with hearty eggplant, satisfying noodles and a cozy broth of coconut and tomatoes. Garnish with basil or mint. 1/2 lb dried wide rice noodles 2 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp salted butter 1 medium onion, sliced kernels from 1 fresh corn stalk, or 1/2 cup frozen 3/4 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 2 cloves garlic, minced 3/4-inch fresh ginger, minced 1 tsp favorite curry powder 1 can whole coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s) 2 cups chicken (or veggie broth) - I used home-made stock 1 dozen grape tomatoes, halved Set a medium pot of water to boil for the noodles. Simmer according to package directions until just before cooked. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the olive oil in a wide skillet.   Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes on
Post a Comment
Read more