North African Lamb Stew

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

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  • 3 pounds of boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1½” cubes
  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 chopped onions
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ teaspoons whole coriander seed (or ground)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seed (or ground)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
  • 14.5 oz (1 can) diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup dried apricots cut in half
  • 15.5 oz (1 can) cooked chickpeas, rinsed
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
  • Salt and pepper

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Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300° with the rack in the middle
  2. Toast cumin and coriander seeds in a pan and then grind and mix with cinnamon
  3. Dry the lamb with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper
  4. Brown the meat on each side in two batches in a heavy dutch oven on high-heat with 1 Tbs of oil per batch; reserve the meat and any juices in a bowl
  5. Add last Tbsp of oil to pot with medium-high heat and cook the onions until softened
  6. Stir in aromatics (garlic and ground spices) and let bloom for 30–60 seconds; add flour and stir until mixed
  7. Deglaze the pot with chicken broth scraping up the fond
  8. Add tomatoes with their juice, apricots, and browned lamb with any released juices and bring to a simmer
  9. Add pot to the oven and cook for about 90 minutes until the lamb is tender
  10. Remove pot from oven and place on stove top on low heat; add chickpeas; taste and adjust final seasoning
  11. Stir in cilantro before serving

Adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Lemony Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, halved
  • 1 celery rib, halved crosswise, plus 4 small celery ribs, finely diced
  • 1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
  • 4 rosemary sprigs and 4 thyme sprigs, tied together with string
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • Finely shredded zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons finely chopped peperoncini
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. In a large soup pot, heat the pure olive oil. Add the quartered yellow onion, carrots and halved celery rib and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the drained chickpeas, the herb sprig bundle and enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over moderately low until the chickpeas are tender, about 1½ hours. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper and cook the chickpeas for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes, then drain the chickpeas. Discard the herb sprigs, onion, carrots and celery.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, soak the red onion in the vinegar for 15 minutes. Drain, discarding the vinegar. Return the onion to the bowl and add the diced celery, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, chopped rosemary, oregano and peperoncini. Add the chickpeas and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Fold in the parsley and serve.

Adapted from Tom Colicchio via Food & Wine