Lamb with Apricots

yooper's Note:

I got this out of a "Taste of Home" Christmas issue a few years back. The lady who submitted this was Jewish, and this was her entree for her Hanukkah meal. I'm not Jewish, but I love lamb, and this recipe is a winner! The sweetness of the citrus fruits and the the heat from the spices really stand out!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 large onion , chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 boneless lamb shoulder , cubed (2-1/2 to 3 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup dried apricot , halved
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon ground almonds
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed , toasted

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender.
2. Add the lamb, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, salt and pepper.
3. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, or until meat is browned.
4. Add apricots, orange juice, almonds and orange peel.
5. Transfer to a 2-1/2 quart baking dish.
6. Stir in broth.
7. Cover and bake at 350 for 1-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
8. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Reviews

[JustJanS]

Another fantastic recipe Yooper. This was quick and easy to make, and tasted fantastic. Next time, I will finish it with slivered almonds and preserved lemon strips.

[Koriander]

Great tasting recipe but I took a different approach to making this: I mixed everything together (minus oil and almonds) and marinaded the lamb chunks and apricots overnight. Cooked everything on the bbq in a grill mate pan, basting the lamb with a bit of marinade as needed. Heated the little bit of leftover marinade on stove and added some Wondra gravy mix to thicken slightly. Made some fresh jasmine rice and added the grilled lamb/apricots, gravy and toasted sesame seeds. We will make this one again.