A delicious and alternative way to use this season’s spring lamb – and so easy!
Ingredients Serves: 4
800g (1 lb 12 oz) lean lamb leg steak
125g (4 1/2 oz) onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5cm (2 in) cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
salt and black pepper
125g (4 1/2 oz) dried apricots, quartered
175g (6 oz) carrots, diced
100g (3 1/2 oz) courgettes, diced
350g (12 oz) tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
300g (10 1/2 oz) couscous
To garnish: 1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh coriander and parsley
Method
- Trim any fat off the lamb and cut it into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes. Put the meat, onions, garlic, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, ginger, paprika and turmeric into a large heavy based saucepan or casserole, season to taste and add enough water to cover. Bring the contents to the boil, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes or transfer to a low oven (160*)
- Add the apricots, carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, coriander and parsley to the pan and cook, covered, for a further 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the couscous into a bowl, add just enough cold water to cover it and leave it for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid.
- Transfer the couscous to into a metal sieve, and steam the couscous over the stew for 15 minutes until warm, fluffed up and tender. Add salt to taste.
To serve, spoon the couscous onto a serving dish; lift the lamb and vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon and lay them on top of the couscous and sprinkle them with chopped coriander and parsley. Pour the broth into a jug or bowl to serve separately and let people help themselves at the table.