Lamb Stewing Pieces Slow Cooker

Moroccan Lamb Casserole (Slow Cooker)

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| Published: November 22, 2016
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Moroccan lamb casserole, slow cooker recipe

This scrumptious Moroccan lamb casserole (or tagine) with apricots and carrots is one of my favourite slow cooker recipes. It's hearty, rich, nutritious and easy to make and is paleo and gluten-free. Can be done on the stove or in your Instant Pot.

Moroccan lamb casserole, slow cooker recipe

When the days get colder or the life gets hectic, I ditch the stove and throw myself in a love affair with my slow cooker or my Instant Pot. Stews, curries, soups and even roasts get going in my magic pot on an almost daily basis. This slow cooker lamb casserole is one of my regulars, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you guys.

I love lamb with sweet dried fruit, like apricots, and warm spices. This combination goes way back and spans across multiple culinary traditions from North Africa to the Middle East. Dried fruit and spices cut through the fattiness of the lamb, and highlight and even enhance the savoury and meaty notes of the dish.

Served with a simple cauliflower 'couscous' or 'rice', or regular rice or potatoes, this meal will make you dream of Marrakesh, sandy desserts and perfumed apricot orchards.

Moroccan Lamb Casserole - Slow Cooker Recipe (Paleo, Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

Love this recipe? Try my Scrummy Coconut Lamb Curry or my Quick & Easy Pumpkin Chicken Curry. You might also like to try making your own harissa sauce. Find more African recipes here.

Cook's notes

I used diced lamb steak in this recipe. You can buy lamb leg or shoulder and cut it into chunks. Other cheap cuts of lamb, beef or pork meat would also work well in this recipe.
Dried apricots can be replaced with a few dates or figs for a similar result. When buying dried apricots, go for the darker, brownish looking fruit, which hasn't been treated with sulfites – a preservative used to give dried apricots that gorgeous, orange colour.
I love adding toasted almond flakes to this stew but you can easily go without. I think it adds a nutty flavour and lovely texture to the dish.
Make simple cauliflower rice or regular rice for this dish. Check out this gorgeous, fragrant cauliflower couscous recipe I shared over at Balance Festival website. Or, a side of greens will do just fine as well.
Stovetop: repeat steps 1 and 2 in a large pot on the stove. Then cook covered, over low-medium heat, for 2 hours, until the lamb meat is tender. Then uncover, and cook for a further 10 minutes over high heat, allowing the stew to thicken.
Instant Pot: do steps 1 and 2 on Sauté function in the Instant Pot. Then cover, set to Manual, HIGH for 25 minutes. Allow natural release for 5-10 minutes, then follow with quick release. Finally, switch back to Sauté and cook for 10 more minutes uncovered, stirring a few times.

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee
1 medium white onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
700 g /1.5 lb lamb steak, diced
1 large carrot, sliced thick
4 peels of lemon (not 4 lemons, but rather 4 small peeled ribbons of the rind)
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seed powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice (optional, a few cloves can be used instead
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 large cloves of garlic, sliced
6–7 dried apricots, sliced in thirds
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup toasted almond slivers
Handful of chopped fresh parsley

If your slow cooker vessel is heatproof, place it on the stove over medium-high heat. Alternatively, use a large frying pan or saucepan for this first step.
Add the onion, coconut oil and salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Follow with the lamb, carrots and lemon peel, and stir through for a minute. Now add the spices and stir through to release the aromas before adding the rest of the ingredients (except for almonds and parsley). Stir through and bring to a boil.
Place the vessel with the lamb stew back on the slow cooker base and set to HIGH for 4 hours, MEDIUM for 6 or LOW for 8 hours. If using a different saucepan, transfer the contents to the slow cooker vessel and set the timer as mentioned above.
After 4 or more hours, as per your heat setting, transfer the slow cooker vessel to the stove and set the heat to high. Again, if the vessel is not heatproof, transfer the casserole contents into a saucepan. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate. Add the almonds half way through and mix together (reserve a few almonds for garnish). Taste for salt and feel free to add some chilli, if you like.
Serve with cauliflower rice or couscous, regular rice or some greens.

Moroccan lamb casserole, slow cooker recipe

BY IRENA MACRI

About the author: I share tasty recipes, tips, and meal plans to help you get healthier and lose weight. I am a qualified nutrition coach with an Advanced Diploma in Nutrition & Weight Management. More about me here.

PS. Some posts contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.