Fragrant Lamb & Cherry Stew served with Lemon Cous Cous

Good grief! A recipe not about cake! Can you cope?

This is about as close to savoury as I go. A sweet, sticky lamb dish bursting with juicy cherries.

Generally, I'm not a huge fan of lamb. I'm happy to eat it, but would rarely choose it from a menu. I find it a little fatty and there always seems to something more exciting on a menu that gets my vote. The only thing that might swing me is slow cooked lamb, falling away from the bone and melting in the mouth. The sort of dish that takes overnight slow-cooking that I do not have the patience to carry out.

This recipe however, manages the same, soft melting lamb in considerably less time! The vast amounts of spring onion and parsley make this a really fresh, rather than heavy meat dish which I love. Part of my wants to call it a salad, but I think it might be stretching it slightly....

The recipe is inspired by Silvena Rowe's dish in her book Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume (gorgeous from start to finish). I've amended it by adding more cherries and lemons, to create a more sticky dish, to accommodate my sweet tooth. If you can't get hold of dried cherries, I'd substitute them for cranberries.


Lamb and Cherry Stew served with Lemon Cous Cous (serves 4)

•  800g lamb shoulder (cubed - I did mine from a joint so I could remove all the fat)
• 4tbsp olive oil
• 24 spring onions, sliced
• 4 lemons, zested and juiced
• 300ml lamb stock
• 150g dried cherries (I bought bags from dried fruit snacking section of Sainsburys)
• 1 large bunch flatleaf parsley
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
• Green beans (to serve)
• Cous cous (to serve)
• Handful pistachio nuts (to serve)

Step 1: Heat oil in casserole dish and brown lamb

Step 2: Add spring onions to casserole and cook for 5 minutes

Step 3: Add stock, cherries and half of the lemon zest and juice. Simmer for 90 minutes until lamb is tender

Step 4: Leave to rest and make cous cous. Pour sufficient for 4 people into a bowl and cover with water. Leave for 5 minutes and stir through remaining lemon juice, zest and seasoning to taste. Scatter with pistachio nuts

Step 5: Boil green beans in boiling water for 3-5 minutes and refresh under cold water

Step 6: Stir torn parsley leaves and toasted pine nuts through stew and serve

Hope you enjoy,
Helen x