Pot Roast with a Twist…Time for Comfort Food
I adopted this from an old Gourmet cooking magazine, which in turn adopted it from the house chef of a guest house in Marrakech, Morocco. It may sound exotic, but it is more or less a pot roast with a twist. It doesn’t really require any special ingredients and couldn’t be easier. It is especially perfect to make the day before and have ready when you get home; the flavor deepens overnight. North Africa, here we come!
Into a big stew pot toss:
Lamb shoulder chops (Shoulder chops are a cheap cut of lamb that tenderizes and falls off the bone as it cooks slowly; use one chop per person eating; the ingredients noted below are based on 6)
2 red onions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 Tsps ginger
2 Tsps tumeric
2 Tsps ground cloves (or 1 Tbsp whole cloves, smashed by putting in closed plastic baggie & pounding with the blunt end of a knife)
(The amount of spices is just a suggestion; if you prefer, or don’t, one of these spices, you can adjust the combination to suit your liking–or just experiment!)
Meanwhile, toast 1 pinch of saffron threads on a dry skillet for about a minute on low heat, until fragrant; remove heat and add 2/3 cup Airfields Gewurztraminer. Let stand for another minute, then add to pot. Add water until lamb is just covered. Let simmer for 1 1/2 hours, partially covered.
Stir in:
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cup prunes
1 1/4 cup apricots
1/2 cup raisins (I prefer golden)
Feel free to experiment by adding other dried fruit; for example, I have also enjoyed this with figs!
Let simmer another 45 minutes or so, until the sauce is thickened (but still saucy) and the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, toast 3 Tbsp sesame seeds in a dry skillet til golden. Repeat with a handful of blanched almond slivers (about 1/2 cup).
Serve over couscous, sprinkled with sesame seeds and almond slivers.