With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, how about dinner at home? This Slow Braised Red Wine Lamb Stew with Moroccan Spices is spicy, fragrant and hearty. Elegant comfort food that is perfect any night of the week, or a special occasion.
Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Dine in? Go out? Buy gifts? Or, are you one of many that take it as “just another day”?
February is usually the coldest month of the year. There are a few things that take place during this month. Super Bowl, Family Day (in Canada), usually reading weeks for university and college students. It’s a favourite time of year for many people to travel south.
Valentine’s Day is the big holiday of the month. As soon as the Christmas decorations are down in the stores, Valentine’s paraphernalia appear. From cards to cute stuffed animals, jewellery to fresh cut flowers, and EVERYTHING you can think of in between.
Restaurants plan their special menus, florists order in lots of roses, and chocolate companies get stocked up with delicious treats. What do you do?
CELEBRATING AT HOME
One thing about cooking at home (well there are many things) is that you can experience the tastes of the world without all the travelling. This Slow Braised Red Wine Lamb Stew with Moroccan Spices is a perfect example.
You can even make this quick and easy Irish Soda Bread to go along with it.
Morocco has some of the most fragrant, delicious, exotic tastes anywhere. Fruits, meats, spices, breads, tea. All so full of flavour, not to mention the aromas they create. The Alhambra Merguez seasoning in this lamb stew is one of those tastes.
Have you ever tried lamb egg rolls? I always have these Roccan Lamb Rolls on hand in the freezer. OMG so freaking good!!
Lamb is such a delicious protein to work with. It can be a little on the expensive side. Using lamb for special occasions is great since cooking at home is ALWAYS cheaper than going out. Plus, you usually have leftovers for another meal.
This stew is braised with wine and wonderful spices. Tender pieces of meat with carrots, potatoes and peas, all surrounded by a thick, delicious gravy. Perfect for dipping your bread in. Simple, but a little exotic, comfort food that is celebration worthy.
Seriously, we don’t go out to celebrate the big day. Most of the time it is in the middle of the week, which is certainly not convenient. Everyone is busy with work, kids, activities. Going out to dinner on a Tuesday night just doesn’t work for most people.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE
As for the reason behind the holiday, that has always seemed odd to me. Why should we dedicate one day to say “I LOVE YOU”? I would much rather have someone tell/show me all year long instead of just one day.
It doesn’t have to be lavish, or even cost money. As much as I love roses, I would rather have my wonderful loving husband wash all the dishes that pile up in the kitchen during recipe testing (and he does).
There are so many ways to show a person how much you care about them. It doesn’t (and shouldn’t) be expressed only one day of the year.
SPENDING TIME TOGETHER
We never go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day. For one thing, it is crowded, especially at any of the good restaurants. Another thing, it is EXPENSIVE to go out to dinner, especially on special occasions. If you have kids, throw in the cost of a sitter, and this special day gets pricey.
Since the holiday usually falls on a weekday, we will celebrate it on a weekend. Last year we spent time in the kitchen making Coq au Vin and Sticky Toffee Pudding. See we travelled to France and the UK in one night!!
Cooking together is fun. If you have kids, turn it into a family affair and get everyone involved. The kid’s are just as hyped about the holiday as everyone else. They have been doing crafts and handing out Spider Man and Frozen Valentine’s to all their friends.
So what will it be, going out or dining in? Cooking together or ordering takeout?
This Slow Braised Red Wine Lamb Stew with Moroccan Spices will be happening in our house for dinner.
If you want to travel to Thailand, give my Green Thai Curry With Beef a try.
Slow Braised Red Wine Lamb Stew with Moroccan Spices
Ingredients
- 2 pounds leg of lamb (trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" chunks)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (your choice)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 pounds potatoes (peeled and cubed)
- 8 ounces baby carrots (diagonally cut)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 2 tsp Alhambra Merguez seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º F.I used a cast iron dutch oven to cook the entire stew in from start to finish. You may choose to use a frying pan and casserole dish.
- Heat the dutch oven over med-high heat (or your frying pan) and 1 tbsp of oil.
- Add the lamb (in a couple of batches) and brown on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. This should take about 10 minutes.
- When all the meat is done, add the remaining oil to the pot. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the salt, pepper and Merguez seasoning to the pot and mix well.
- Stir in the flour, mix well, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the wine. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits, and smooth out any lumps from the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes, just to cook out some of the alcohol.
- Add the water, tomatoes (and juice) and bring to a boil. Stir to make sure there are no lumps.
- Add the lamb, mix, cover and place in the oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and return to oven. Cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and add the peas. Cover and return to oven. Cook for 30 minutes, or until veggies are nice and tender.
- Pour some wine, slice some bread....get ready to eat!!
- Ladle stew into bowls.ENJOY!!
Marisa Franca
I’m craving something that will warm me from the inside out!! It’s been raining for two days and I’m chilled and just can’t get warm. The lamb stew sounds like it would do the trick. the Moroccan spices that are going on there would certainly but a zing in my dreary day. We love lamb but don’t often use it in anything other than a roast. That’s got to change.
Homemade & Yummy
It has been so hot here…..today we finally got a break. I actually have a sweatshirt on LOL. I know come the comfort food season, this will be happening again.
Abra
I love a lamb stew, looks amazing!
Homemade & Yummy
It is so good….even better the next day.
Whitney Bond
I love lamb and can’t wait to try this recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
Lamb is so good….and this is so tasty.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
I love lamb and simply do not have it often enough! This looks and sounds so tasty! Popping over from #recipeoftheweek x
Homemade & Yummy
Lamb is so delicious. Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look.
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons
I love these slow braised dishes! Bring on the dutch oven!
Homemade & Yummy
Totally love my dutch ovens. I have 2!!
susan | the wimpy vegetarian
This looks so perfect as I look outside at all the snow! My family would love it, and a lot of the other dishes on the *menu* sound wonderful too!
Homemade & Yummy
Lots of great recipes in this collection for sure.
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
Those seasonings sound good!
Homemade & Yummy
So delicious.
Julia (@imagelicious)
I love the idea of a stew for a weeknight Valentine’s Day meal – so much easier than standing by the stove and cooking steaks to order. Instead you get to prepare earlier in the day and then just sit, sip a glass of wine and let your significant other serve this delicious stew!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes I agree with you 100%. Stew is easier than most people think. It takes a bit of work at the beginning, but then the oven does all the work. It is very enjoyable to sit back and relax with wine while dinner cooks. Your significant other and serve…and do the dishes too!!
All That I'm Eating
This sounds so tasty. I could see myself making a double batch of this to have leftovers after the weekend!
Homemade & Yummy
Oh you bet…that is a GREAT idea!!
Amanda
We never had lamb growing up, and the times I tried it, it just didn’t work for me. But I do love this recipe and will try it with a different meat. Moroccan flavors are some of my favorites. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
I totally understand. I did not like it the first time I tried it either. It wasn’t until I started cooking it myself that I began to enjoy it.
debi at Life Currents
I don’t think we usually do much of anything for Valentine’s day. Maybe make a special dinner, but we certainly don’t go out. Too many people & too expensive. Your stew looks like the perfect answer.
Homemade & Yummy
It is much more enjoyable to spend the time at home…I totally agree.
Ali @ Home & Plate
What a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I love lamb but usually eat it in chop form. Love the idea of using lamb in stew. And the rest of the roundup looks delicious too. Especially the blackberry mousse. YUM!
Homemade & Yummy
It was a fun collaboration. Lots there to choose from for sure.
Kylee from Kylee Cooks
I love lamb any way I can get it! This stew looks and sounds AMAZING – so much flavor packed into one bowl!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes it sure is one flavourful dish.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
We never go out for Valentines Day because the restaurants are too crowded, the menus are too expensive and I’m happier opening a good bottle of wine and celebrating at home… with a home cooked meal – like this beautiful stew! Lamb is one of my go-tos, definitely want to try!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes eating at home is so much more enjoyable and relaxing…not to mention affordable too.
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery
This looks amazing – I enjoy lamb, but I’ve only roasted legs of lamb at home. I like the idea of a lamb stew, and the red wine addition makes it worthy of a special occasion or date night.
Homemade & Yummy
Leg of lamb works great in this stew.
Leah
I love all the flavor in this stew, it just sounds so warm and comforting! We don’t go out for Valentine’s either, so I totally agree with you on that!
Homemade & Yummy
It is a great comfort food dish anytime of the year…but works great for special times too.