Moroccan Lamb Soup Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Stew

The flavors of Morocco: lamb and apricots, cumin, coriander and allspice with a whisper of cinnamon. You can bring it all home for dinner tonight, so long as you prepare your slow cooker with the essential 18 ingredients in the morning.

It may sound like a lot of elements going into the dish, but the complexity of details is necessary to produce an authentic dish that is worthy of praise. In choosing your cut of lamb for stew, opt for meat from the shoulder if you can, as this becomes incredibly tender after braising – the two-step process of browning the bite-sized chunks on the stove top, followed by a long, slow simmering. As for the dried apricots, search for those that have not been treated with sulphites, to keep your meal as clean as possible. They won't be bright orange, but it is the sweetness and flavor, not the color you are after here. If you are on the other side of the fence about eating lamb, let us suggest that you whet your appetite with lamb and sweet potato cottage pie, for a recipe that comes from perhaps a bit closer to home. Either way, your taste buds will thank you for exploring a new-to-you delicacy.

Serve with cauliflower rice, toasted slivered almonds for a nutty crunch, and a generous amount of sautéed greens of your choosing.

Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb Stew Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep: 25 min Cook: 6h

Notice

Values are per portion. These are for information only & are not meant to be exact calculations.

Ingredients

2 lb. lamb stew meat, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
10 dried apricots
2 cups beef or lamb stock
1 tbsp. ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup coconut milk
Fresh cilantro, to garnish
2 tbsp. coconut oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stew Preparation

Preparation

Melt coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Brown the lamb on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Add all spices (cumin, fennel, coriander, ground cinnamon, ground allspice) to the meat, stir well, season to taste and place in a slow cooker.
Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ginger to the pan and cook until soft, about 2 to 3 minutes; then add to slow cooker.
Add the carrots, tomatoes, parsnips, and dried apricots to the slow cooker, along with the coconut milk.
Pour the beef stock over everything, top with the cinnamon stick, cover, and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
Serve topped with fresh cilantro.