This stew, if you like lamb, is delicious.   In some markets you can find lamb already cut up into cubes and labeled as “stew”. If not, you can do what I did and cut your own little stew pieces. I took advantage of a featured lamb sirloin and cut the meat into cubes. I frankly do not feel that the stew would work with beef or pork, but perhaps, that is my own thinking. I have not tried to use this recipe with anything other than lamb.

I have been experimenting with Moroccan lamb stews using different combination of ingredients and finally settled on this version, using Ras-el-hanout.  In checking out Internet sites, every recipe was different, but oddly enough, the one ingredient everyone had in common was ginger.  My Ras-el-hanout recipe calls for ground ginger, but the addition of ginger root really does zip things up.

Several of the recipes called for dates or dried fruit to be added to the stew.  The sweet potatoes add the same sort of sweetness.  If cooked along with the lamb, they will be soft, so if  firmer sweet potato pieces is desired, they could be added after the meat cooks for a while.  As it is, the garbanzos add a nice crunch which contrast with the soft sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

1. 3 tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 cup chopped onions.
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1 teaspoon pepper
5. 1 pound lamb, cubed.
6. 1 tablespoon minced garlic
7. 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
8. 1 tablespoon Ras-el-hanout
9.  1 medium sweet potato cut in 1-inch cubes
10.  1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
11.  2 cups beef broth
12.  2 tablespoons raisins
13.  2 tablespoons chopped parsley.
14.  Zest of one lemon

Directions:

Chop the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and, unless you have bought lamb already cut up for stew cut the lamb into pieces a bit larger than an inch.

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat.  

Add chopped onion and cook to soften and slightly brown. Add the minced garlic and ginger room and sauté for a minute longer

Meanwhile, cut the sweet potato into chunks

Remove the sautéed onion, garlic, and ginger from the pan. Add the additional 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and the cubed lamb. Sauté, turning the lamb once or twice until it is brown all over.

Return the onion, garlic, ginger to the pan, and add the tablespoon of ras-al-hanoot.

Add the cubed sweet potato, the garbanzos, raisins, and the beef broth.

Raise the temperature to high until the mixture begins to bubble.  Stir and reduce heat to medium low.

Cook at a medium low simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally and checking on liquid evaporation.  Add more liquid if needed – either more broth or water.

Before serving, add lemon zest, stir, and sprinkle the chopped parsley on top.

Makes 4 servings of about 400 calories each