Cucina Linda

I visited Morroco in my early twenties, and the warm flavours of cinnamon and cardoman, cloves and tumeric, combined with lamb and dried fruit have stayed with me a long time. This dish, although very fragant, is not very hot.

2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of most fat, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter
2 cups very thinly sliced onions
4 garlic cloves crushed

1 1/2 cups (about 3) chopped apples
1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup mild curry powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cayenne

2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp barbeque sauce
Few dashes worchestershire sauce
hot sauce to taste
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut (preferrable large flake)
1/3 cup raisins
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 cups cubed butternut squash or sweet potato

In a large pot, melt most of the butter. Saute onions over medium low heat until very soft but not coloured. Add garlic and saute for an additional five minutes. Remove cooked onions and garlic to a bowl.

Toss lamb cubes in flour to coat. Add rest of butter to pot, increase heat to medium. When hot, add lamb and cook until a nice sear forms, stirring frequently. When lamb is nicely brown, return onions and garlic to pot. Add apples and spices and cook for a further 5 minutes to "bloom" spices.

Add stock, bbq sauce, worchestershire, hot sauce, coconut raisins and chick peas. Bring stew just to a boil, lower heat and cover. Cook at a simmer for approximately 1 to 1/2 hours until lamb is very tender.

Add butternut squash and cook for another 15-20 minutes or so until squash is tender but still intact. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Serve over rice or with couscous.