Moroccan Lamb Stew With Dried Cherries and Lemon

This is one of our favorite colder-weather recipes. It's excellent. Be sure to read the notes at the bottom of the page before you go grocery shopping & start to cook. You may want to make adjustments to the ingredients. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  pitted dried cherries (Trader Joe's)
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 4  lbs lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
•  kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2  yellow onions, finely chopped
• 2  teaspoons  toasted ground coriander
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon  freshly grated ginger
• 1  pinch saffron thread
• 2  teaspoons preserved lemons, chopped (or the zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped)
• 3 -4  cups  rich dark  stock (beef,lamb or roasted chicken)
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 3  tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Rehydrate the cherries in a bowl with about a cup of warmed stock. Let soak until needed.
2. In a large, heavy saute pan, heat 2 T olive oil with 2 T butter over high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and saute in batches, not overcrowding the pan, so all sides are browned. Transfer to a large saucepan or casserole. Continue this process until allo the lamb is well browned.
3. Reheat the saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and saute the onions to translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the spices and cook until the aromas start to come up, 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with some of the stock and add this to the pan with the lamb. Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the rehydrated cherries with their soaking liquid and the preserved lemon (or lemon zest). Continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes more, or until the lamb is very tender. Add the honey and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
4. Serve over couscous, mixed with a few chopped Kalamata olives. Top with toasted sesame seeds and enjoy with a glass of Cabernet Franc.
5. Notes:
6. This dish has A LOT of butter. By mistake, I only used 2 T, in stead of ½ cup Next time, I wouldn't use any at all. There is enough olive oil & liquid from the lamb to sufficiently cook the lamb without the butter. This will cut calories by A LOT, too!
7. I toasted the ground coriander in a frying pan until it was smoky & fragrant.
8. I used beef broth, and lemon zest.