11148 Tunisian Lamb and Quince Stew 4 hrs, plus marinating time 50 mins 6 servings Tue Jan 01 01:38:00 -0800 2008 Mon Oct 19 15:01:36 -0700 2009 Easy African CHOW http://www.chow.com/recipes/11148 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:01:36 GMT Aromatic, spicy, and perfect for blustery fall weather Aromatic, spicy, and perfect for blustery fall weather. Tunisian cuisine is full of spice and complexity, and this stew is no exception. Marinating the meat overnight allows the coriander, caraway, and other spices to flavor the lamb, while the addition of quince creates a pleasant sweet-sour note.

Game plan: Be sure to cook the stew at a low, consistent temperature to ensure tender, juicy meat. And as with any stew or braise, this dish is best the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to meld.

This recipe was featured as part of our Chile Pepper Recipes and Fall Ingredients photo galleries.

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  • Toast coriander and caraway seeds in a small, dry frying pan over medium-low heat until seeds release their aroma and darken slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool at least 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a resealable plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin or meat mallet until coarsely crushed but not pulverized.
  • In a large nonreactive bowl, combine crushed seeds with garlic, chiles, paprika, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir, then add lamb and toss until meat is well coated. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
  • Take meat out of the refrigerator and transfer to a large plate or baking sheet, reserving garlic from the marinade. Season meat well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
  • When lamb is ready, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add lamb in batches to prevent overcrowding and cook until a dark brown crust has formed on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Once lamb is browned, remove to a plate and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil.
  • Add onions, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, reserved garlic, and saffron to the remaining oil in the pot and sauté over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan and continue cooking until onions begin to caramelize and soften, about 10 minutes. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return lamb to the pot and add broth. Cook, covered, at a gentle simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
  • Once lamb is almost knife tender, prepare quince by running under cold water to rub any fuzz off the skin. Cut each quince into 8 wedges, remove cores, and add to stew. Stir in honey and cook until lamb and quince are tender but not falling apart, about 1 hour. To test that the lamb is done, remove a piece from the pot and set it on a clean plate. Press it with your thumb or the back of a spoon. If it yields easily and almost falls apart, it is done; if it resists pressure, return it to the pot and continue cooking.
  • When lamb is ready, taste stew for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Serve with couscous, farro, or steamed rice and Harissa.

    • Beverage pairing: Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant, California. Though made in California, this wine is fashioned after the French Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Its Golden State origins, though, ensure that it has lots of wild blackberry and plum flavors to complement the lamb. The blend of Rhône grapes also gives the wine a complex mix of spices perfect for this stew’s Tunisian influence.

    ]]>     http://www.chow.com/assets/2008/10/lamb_quince3_290.jpg Kate Ramos 50 Main 282 2 tablespoons coriander seeds

    ]]>     274 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

    ]]>     74 6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

    ]]>     3 dried arbol chiles, crumbled**

    ]]>     306 2 teaspoons paprika

    ]]>     277 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

    ]]>     5 tablespoons olive oil

    ]]>     227 3 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 3-inch cubes

    ]]>     54 2 medium yellow onions, medium dice

    ]]>     2 tablespoons tomato paste**

    ]]>     279 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

    ]]>     302 1/2 teaspoon crushed saffron

    ]]>     5 cups low-sodium chicken broth**

    ]]>     22 2 pounds quince (about 6)

    ]]>     2 tablespoons honey

    ]]>     5931 kate ramos 1 chow 861 tunisian 11144 tunisia 345 braise 10054 dairy free 505 lamb 635 dinner 806 marinade 813 hungry 384 easy 11149 worth the effort 1046 cold weather 783 fall 2747 make ahead 757 lunch 1043 houseguests 1605 dinner party 11150 transporting 745 ethnic 11022 north african 4070 carnivore 1619 omnivore 768 manly 390 spicy 578 spice 782 autumn 11091 fall ingredients 448 quince 388 healthy 400 stew 6027 gluten free 662 one pot 23680 affordable 23681 economic 794 comfort food 501 entertaining 621 chile peppers