Lamb Stew With Lemon And Figs Recipe

Ingredients

3 lb boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pack of saffron powder (about 1/16 teaspoon), dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb onions, thinly sliced

1 small lemon, ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 14oz can diced tomatoes in juice

1 cup dried figs, stems trimmed, cut in half

2-2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

2 teaspoons sugar

salt and ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (for garnish)

Preparation

Sprinkle the lamb with salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large pot over medium to high heat. Working in batches, cook the lamb cubes until brown on all sides, adding more oil as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb into a large bowl.

Pour all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot (or add 1 tablespoon of oil if dry). Heat the pot over medium heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add lemon, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, corianger, cayenne. Stir for about 1 minute. Add saffron mixture and stir. Add tomatoes with the juice, figs and lamb with any juices to the pot. Stir to coat. Add chicken broth.

Bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer until the meat is tender, about 1-1.5 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. About 5 minutes before turning the heat off, add 2 teaspoons of sugar to the pot. Garnish with chopped mint before serving.