Moroccan style lamb stew
A taste of Morocco, delivered straight from the freezer
I went to Morocco a good few years ago now and the hotel food was, let’s say…not exactly the highlight of the trip. The cocktails came out of a machine from some sort of premade mix. I’m not a snob, but I also was a little bit with this. Now, the food I was excited about was what I found in the souks. The spices, the smells, the colours and those massive piles of ingredients I’d never normally see at home. That was the Morocco I wanted to remember.
The Morocco I want back immediately
The centre of Marrakech was vibrant, messy, hectic and very on brand tbh. After leaving with far less toiletries, I made space for significantly more spices and other things I was legally allowed to bring through customs. I needed to arrive with an empty suitcase in all honesty.
Sadly I can’t just pop over to Marrakech whenever I fancy, so I created this Moroccan style lamb stew instead.
Big batch energy
This recipe is an exclusive from my latest book, Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook(opens in new tab), and it’s exactly the kind of recipe I wanted in the book. You make a massive batch of slow-cooked, falling-apart lamb with harissa, ras el hanout, cumin, saffron, chickpeas and sweet apricots. The result is rich, warming and packed with those gorgeous Moroccan-inspired flavours that you’ll be glad you have 8 portions of.
I usually keep at least four portions in my freezer at any given time, because I’m trying my best to get organised (especially now that I’m a mom) and batch cooking has literally been a lifesaver. Plus, this stew is incredible.
FAQs
Can I freeze Moroccan style lamb stew?
That’s exactly what you should be doing with some of it! Let the stew cool completely, then portion it into airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.It’s ideal for batch cooking because the flavours actually get even better after sitting together in the freezer.
How do I reheat the lamb stew?
For the best result, defrost it in the fridge overnight, then gently reheat in a saucepan over a medium-low heat until piping hot throughout. If you’re in a hurry? You can also reheat it straight from frozen. Put it in a saucepan over a gentle heat and stir regularly until completely hot.
Can I cook it from frozen?
Yep. No need to panic when you realise at 5pm that you forgot to defrost dinner. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, stirring regularly, until piping hot throughout.
What should I serve with Moroccan lamb stew?
I love it with herby cous cous and a sprinkle of toasted flaked almonds. You could also serve it with flatbreads, rice or whatever you fancy. I’m not going to call the Moroccan food police.
How long will it last in the freezer?
It’ll keep for up to 3 months when stored in airtight containers and frozen properly.
Where can I find more batch recipes?
You can find more online here. This Moroccan-style lamb stew is an exclusive recipe from my new book, Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook.
The whole book is built around proper homemade food, but without having to cook from scratch every bloomin night. There are breakfasts, lunches, dinners, sides and sweet treats designed to fill your freezer with food you’ll actually be excited to eat.
Because being organised is great and all, but being able to open the freezer and discover that you’ve already made a delicious lamb stew is even better.
Moroccan style lamb stew
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/moroccan-style-lamb-stew/
Ingredients
- 1.5kg lamb leg, bone in
- 2 brown onions, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or grated
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ras el hanout
- Pinch of saffron
- 570g jar queen chickpeas
- 200g dried apricots, quartered
- 750ml beef or chicken stock
- 30g toasted flaked almonds, to sprinkle on top
- Salt, pepper and olive oil
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Heat a large saute pan over high heat and add a glug of olive oil. Dry the lamb with kitchen paper and season with salt, then fry the lamb for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown all over, then remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Pour another splash of olive oil into the pan and add in the diced onions. Turn the heat down to medium and fry for 2 minutes before adding the garlic. Allow to cook for 1 more minute, then spoon in the harissa paste, tomato puree, ground cumin and ras el hanout. Fry for 5 minutes, until the tomato puree is darkened in colour.
- Pour 2 tbsp of boiling water into a small dish with the saffron and leave for 5 minutes before pouring into the pan.
- Add the stock and liquid from the chickpeas into the pan and bring to a bubble. Season generously with salt and pepper and return the lamb to the pan. Turn the heat down to low and pop on a lid before leaving to bubble away for 4 ½-5 hours until falling off the bone. Turn the lamb over occasionally in the liquid.
- When the lamb is soft, remove it from the pan, remove the bone and shred into large pieces - try to keep some texture! Pour the chickpeas and apricots into the pan and turn the heat up to medium. Bring to a bubble and reduce for 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened, then return the lamb to the sauce.