Middle Eastern Lamb Stew
By: Neil Walker
Published: Thursday, January 14, 2010 - 3:00pm

Ingredients




1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew meat, (shoulder cut) OR 2 ½ pounds lamb shoulder chops, debon
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 medium large or 2  onions, chopped
28 ounces can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, minced
15 or 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach

Preparation

1 Place lamb in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Place on "low" heat. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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.  5 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.

About


I tried this recipe from: EatingWell - January/February 2008. It was a really healthy and very hearty stew. My personal tip - I cooked this stew in the pot for 6 hours on low and added another teaspoon or two of Cayenne Pepper; put it in the fridge overnight - and scraped off all of the meat fat the next day Before heating it back up. Amazing. Very spicy for sure. 
"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." - "Eating Well"; (Jan/Feb 2008)
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the stew, omitting the spinach, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 4 months. Add spinach after the stew is reheated. | Prep ahead: Trim lamb and coat with spice mixture. Chop onions. Combine broth, tomatoes and garlic. Refrigerate in separate covered containers for up to 1 day.
Nutrition Per serving: 319 calories; 15 g fat (5 g sat, 6 g mono); 92 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 5 g fiber; 494 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Iron (20% dv). Carbohydrate serving. Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat.