Lamb Stew with Lemon and Olives

Moroccan

(Adapted by Deborah Weinberger & Charles Hoyt from The Silver Palette Cookbook)

This one takes a bit of preparation, but is well worth the effort. Like all stews, it does well in the fridge over night.

Ingredients Directions

½ cup golden raisins (optional)
½ cup sherry (optional)
3 lbs of lamb stew meat -- 2 inch cubes
1 cup orange juice (fresh if possible)
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbs. olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 tsp saffron
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp dried thyme
1½ tsp cumin
½ cup pine nuts
1 tbs flour
½ cup red wine (optional)
3 tomatoes seeded and coarsely diced
½ cup halved and pitted black olives (we use kalamatas)
1 lemon thinly sliced, then halved
2 tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. If you are using the raisins, soak them in the sherry for 3 hours. They will bloat up nicely.
2. Marinate the lamb at room temperature for 2 hours in the orange juice and garlic. Drain lamb but save the marinade.
3. Brown the lamb a few pieces at a time in half the oil, adding oil as needed. Set lamb aside and add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Then add saffron, coriander, thyme, cumin and pine nuts and cook 5 more minutes.
4. Add flour, stir and cook about one minute. Add marinade and the optional raisins, sherry, and wine. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Return lamb to pan, add olives and tomatoes and simmer covered for an hour and a quarter.
6. Sprinkle salt over the lemon slices set in a shallow dish and cover with boiling water. Let sit for about 15 minutes then drain. The lemon slices will be a garnish at the end.
7. Remove meat and other goodies from the pan and reduce the liquid to desired consistency over medium high heat. Stir in lemon juice and a few tablespoons of sherry to finish the sauce.
8. Combine sauce, meat and goodies, reheat, top with lemon slices and serve. Crusty bread, a green salad and a nice California cabernet sauvignon go nicely with.

Ingredients	Directions
½ cup golden raisins (optional) ½ cup sherry (optional) 3 lbs of lamb stew meat -- 2 inch cubes 1 cup orange juice (fresh if possible) 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 tbs. olive oil 1 chopped onion 1 tsp saffron 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp dried thyme 1½ tsp cumin ½ cup pine nuts 1 tbs flour ½ cup red wine (optional) 3 tomatoes seeded and coarsely diced ½ cup halved and pitted black olives (we use kalamatas) 1 lemon thinly sliced, then halved 2 tbs lemon juice salt and pepper to taste	1. If you are using the raisins, soak them in the sherry for 3 hours. They will bloat up nicely. 2. Marinate the lamb at room temperature for 2 hours in the orange juice and garlic. Drain lamb but save the marinade. 3. Brown the lamb a few pieces at a time in half the oil, adding oil as needed. Set lamb aside and add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Then add saffron, coriander, thyme, cumin and pine nuts and cook 5 more minutes. 4. Add flour, stir and cook about one minute. Add marinade and the optional raisins, sherry, and wine. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. 5. Return lamb to pan, add olives and tomatoes and simmer covered for an hour and a quarter. 6. Sprinkle salt over the lemon slices set in a shallow dish and cover with boiling water. Let sit for about 15 minutes then drain. The lemon slices will be a garnish at the end. 7. Remove meat and other goodies from the pan and reduce the liquid to desired consistency over medium high heat. Stir in lemon juice and a few tablespoons of sherry to finish the sauce. 8. Combine sauce, meat and goodies, reheat, top with lemon slices and serve. Crusty bread, a green salad and a nice California cabernet sauvignon go nicely with.

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Last modified: Sat Nov 8 17:08:08 EST 1997