Orange-Apricot Lamb Stew

This is incredible! It's such a perfect dish for the transition between summery hot weather and the cooler, crisper fall, and lamb is really at its prime now. The candied orange peel does take a little bit of effort, but the reward is great so don't skip it. In fact, I had to make a lot more than I had originally planned on because when I tasted it... I really had a hard time stopping.

Orange-Apricot Lamb Stew
(printable recipe)
Serves 4

700 g lamb, cut into large dice
3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
3-4 carrots, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
5 cardamom pods
2-3 tsp cinnamon, ground
3 oranges, the juice of
2 oranges, supremed (that means each segment cut out, no pith.)
1 lime, the juice of
10-15 dried apricots, diced
salt
cayenne pepper
pistachios to garnish

Candied orange peel:
30 g butter, unsalted
3 oranges, thinly sliced peel (no pith!)
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt

Start with the orange peel. Cut very thin slices of the zest, without getting any of the pith. A zester is perfect for this. Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add the peel, and let it boil rapidly for three minutes. Drain.

Put the peel back in the saucepan with the butter, sugar and salt. Fry on medium heat until the sugar caramelizes and the peel turns very lightly golden. Don't let it burn!

Use tongs to take the peel out of the pan and place it on baking paper or a silpat mat. (Don't try placing it on regular kitchen paper - it will stick.) Reserve the butter!

Now, get started on the lamb. Brown the lamb pieces in olive oil in a heavy pot, a little at a time. Set aside. In the same pot, add the butter from the candied orange peel and fry the onion in this for a few minutes on medium heat. Add the cardamom pods and cinnamon, stir well. Add the lamb back into the pot, and squeeze over all the citrus juice. Add water so that the meat is just about covered.


Bring to boil. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about an hour. Add the carrots and cook for another 20 minutes. Add the orange segments and the apricots, and cook for a final 10 minutes. (The meat cooks for a total of 90 minutes.)

Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Serve with chopped pistachios and the candied orange peel, and something like bulgur wheat, quinoa, cous-cous or rice.

Recipe in Swedish:
Lammgryta med apelsin och aprikoser