Are you feeling a bout of wanderlust? Thanks to a long winter season, the urge to travel to a warm and far-flung destination is tantalizing. Yet, while we dream of an impulsive trip, the practicalities of daily life keep us rooted in place. So, why not improvise and bring the taste of a faraway destination home to your kitchen?
Turn to your spice cabinet and a cookbook for instant relief and cultural inspiration. It won’t be the same as a last-minute trip, of course, but at least you can stay at home in your pajamas.
This fragrant, meaty stew will transport you to Morocco. It’s subtly sweetened with figs, heady with harissa and redolent with ras el hanout — a North African spice blend consisting of a shop’s worth of dried spices.
Ras el hanout is an Arabic term that means “head of the shop,” signifying the best spices on offer. The blend varies from cook to cook, or merchant to merchant, and can contain upward of 50 spices. It’s a traditional spice used in tagines, couscous and stews, and typically includes cumin, coriander, cinnamon and ginger, among others.
Purchasing a jar of prepared ras el hanout is an easy shortcut to build deep flavor in this stew. You can find it in the spice aisle of well-stocked supermarkets and specialty markets.
Lamb Stew With Figs and Chickpeas
Active time: 40 minutes
Total time: 3 1/2 to 4 hours
Yield: Serves 5 to 6
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless lamb leg, excess fat trimmed, cut in 1 1/2- to 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ras el hanout
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
12 dried Turkish figs, halved
1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon honey or light brown sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons harissa or red chili paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Generously season the lamb with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof pot with lid over medium-high heat. Add the lamb in batches, without overcrowding the pan. Brown the meat well on all sides, then transfer the lamb to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining lamb.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pot (or add 1 tablespoon oil, if dry). Add the onion and saute until it is soft without coloring, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring up any brown bits.
Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ras el hanout, cumin, coriander and paprika and stir for 15 to 30 seconds to lightly toast the spices.
Add the tomatoes and their juice, crushing each tomato with your hands as you add them to the pot. Add the lamb (and any collected juices from the bowl), the stock, figs, cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. The lamb should be completely submerged in the stock. If not, add additional stock to cover.
Bring the stew to a simmer, cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the lamb is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
While the lamb is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet. Add the carrots and cook until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the stew to the stovetop. Add the carrots, chickpeas, brown sugar and harissa.
Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Stir in the cilantro.
Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with couscous, if desired. Garnish with additional cilantro.
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer based in Northern California. Visit TasteFood at TasteFoodblog.com.
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