Middle Eastern Lamb Stew

Middle Eastern Lamb Stew

PREP TIME
40 minutes COOK TIME
4 1/4-6 3/4 hours LEVEL
Easy SERVES
6

This brothy stew is boldly flavored with a blend
of characteristic Middle Eastern spices
and finished with fresh spinach and fiber-rich chickpeas.
Economical lamb shoulder tenderizes beautifully
when leisurely cooked in a slow cooker.
If you can’t find boneless shoulder stew meat,
do not substitute more-expensive lamb leg—
it tends to dry out during slow cooking.
Instead, purchase lamb shoulder chops and debone them.
Serve over bulgur and accompany with a salad.
Ingredients:
Middle Eastern Lamb Stew
1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew meat (shoulder cut) or 2 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder chops, deboned, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15- or 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach
Preparation:
Place lamb in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Mix oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat the lamb with the spice paste and toss to coat well. Top with onion.
Bring tomatoes, broth and garlic to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the lamb and onion. Cover and cook until the lamb is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high or 5 1/2 to 6 hours on low.
Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Mash 1/2 cup chickpeas with a fork in a small bowl. Stir the mashed and whole chickpeas into the stew, along with spinach. Cover and cook on high until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.