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SRC: Afghan Lamb Stew in Spinach Sauce


It's time for Group B's Secret Recipe Club October reveal. This month I was assigned to Searching for Spice, penned by CorinaCorina shares that Searching for Spice began as a way of recording some of her favorite recipes and to have a place where she could easily find those dishes when she wanted to make them again. I think we all use our blogs that way! Very convenient...except when you're offline somewhere.

Some of her favorite recipes are curries, stir fries and spicy salads. And she loves Indian, Mexican, North African, Thai and Chinese food. Gotta love that.

I chuckled when I read that she refers to her kids as 'Little Miss Spice' and 'Master Spice.' Mine are 'The Precise Kitchen Elf' and 'The Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf.' I think all of our kids are going to be fabulous cooks with all the time they're logging in the kitchen!


Speaking of kids...while mine are not picky eaters, they both really don't care for lamb. Yet. I keep telling myself it's an acquired taste and they'll get there. Till then: more for me and Jake. And, since the boys were out of town last week with my parents for Fall Break, I made a version of Corina's Afghan Lamb Stew in Spinach Sauce for dinner one evening. Heavenly.

Mine is slightly adapted...I don't have a crock-pot. I served this with Preserved Caviar Limes (recipe to come, I promise) over brown basmati rice. If you aren't familiar with them, here's an intro to caviar limes.


Ingredients 
  • 1 pound lamb, cubed
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 3-4 celery stalks, diced
  • 1/2 t turmeric
  • 4 cardamom pods, crushed slightly
  • 1/2 t ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 t chili powder
  • 1 t ground cinnamon
  • 1 C fresh tomato sauce
  • 1 C liquid (use water, wine, or beer...I used some leftover red wine)
  • 3 T chopped pecans
  • 2 T goat milk yogurt (use whatever yogurt you have...I had goat milk yogurt)
  • 3 handfuls of fresh spinach
  • preserved caviar limes (recipe to come, or use whatever preserved citrus you have)
Procedure
In a large pot, cook the onions, carrots, and celery in a splash of olive oil until softened and the onions begin to turn translucent. Stir in the lamb and cook until it's browned nicely. Season with turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg, chili powder, and cinnamon. Stir to coat the meat.

Pour in the liquid and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Let meat braise for 2 hours. Uncover and raise heat to a rolling boil. Let the sauce reduce to thickness that you desire.

While the sauce is reducing, put the pecans in a dry frying pan and toast until golden. Continually agitate the pan so the nuts don’t burn.

Add the spinach to the stew and fold into the sauce. When the spinach has wilted, remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt. Serve the preserved caviar limes with the stew.

This was delicious, Corina. Thanks for the inspiration! Jake and I loved it.

Comments

  1. Haha, I love the names you two have for your children. So cute! With a stew as delicious looking as that, your children surely can't hold out for long. One day they'll know what they've been missing and will beg you to make that lamb stew for them again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you're right, Lisa. I know the time is coming. Then I'll probably be sad that I don't get all the lamb to myself!

      Delete
  2. This sounds delicious. Unfortunately I am the only lamb lover in my household now that Ting has moved away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's funny to me that lamb is so polarizing. Flavor-wise, I think goat is more objectionable. ;)

      Delete
  3. There are some wonderful flavors in this dish. I'll bet it was fantastic

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yum, I will have to try this the next time I can find lamb here. I had to search 4 stores to find some lamb for my recipe this month, and had forgotten just how much I like it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry lamb is so hard to come by for you! We have lamb about once a week. I would miss it if I couldn't find it.

      Delete
  5. Hmm..interesting! This is a little out of my comfort zone, but it does look really good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was really good! You could try it with different meats if it was the lamb that's outside your comfort zone.

      Delete
  6. This sounds really interesting....I don't know anything about caviar limes but I am going to learn something in a minute. I think we might like this one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love caviar limes...they are just hard to come by.

      Delete
  7. Hi Camilla,
    A great post and fabulous meal. We would just love the Afghan Lamb Stew. Thanks so much for your leadership in our Group B for the SRC. It's fun cooking with you in the SRC!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've never had lamb before, but this stew sounds lovely. Great pick for this month's SRC.

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  9. I hardly ever cook with lamb, this looks delicious. Visiting from SRC B!

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  10. Yummy! I love lamb recipes and this is such a lovely sounding one.. I am a sucker for preserved lemons and can't wait to see your recipe! And I must say - thanks for all the work you put into SRC! And for making me feel so welcome :) SRC-B is awesome!

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  11. I have a bunch of "manager special" lamb in my freezer right now, so putting this on my "to make" list!

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  12. I havent made lamb in a while - this sounds like a great way to get it back on our table.

    ReplyDelete

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