Mediterranean Lamb Stew
In this sweet and fragrant Mediterranean stew, lamb shares the spotlight with beans and vegetables. It’s a hearty meal with bright flavors that can warm you up on a winter day, yet can be just right in warmer seasons as well.
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1 ¼ pounds’ lamb shoulder or stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup, coarsely chopped onion, about 1 medium
1 cup peeled and chopped (½-inch pieces) carrots, about 2
1 cup chopped (½-inch pieces) celery ribs
2 tablespoons, minced garlic, about 3 cloves
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs of thyme and/or rosemary
2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup tomato puree
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas or another white bean), drained and well-rinsed
10 ounces’ baby spinach (or other dark leafy greens, roughly chopped)
2 tablespoons pitted and diced olives
freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon cut into wedges
Cooked brown rice or whole wheat noodles
- Pat dry the lamb. Generously salt the lamb on all sides. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high, heat the oil and deeply brown the lamb on all sides. Remove the lamb to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, until the onions are fragrant and becoming translucent; about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant; about 90 seconds. Add the reserved lamb and any juices that collected, the bay leaves, thyme, broth and tomato puree; reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot and gently simmer 1 hour or until the lamb is fully cooked and tender.
- Add the garbanzo beans, olives, and spinach to the stew. Cover and cook until the beans and olives are heated through and the spinach is wilted; 10 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning with lemon. Serve with lemon wedges, rice or noodles.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Annie Copps.
Nutrition
Calories: 360Total Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 3.5g
Sodium: 320mg
Carbohydrate: 26g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 31g
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