Spicy Spring Lamb Stew with Nuts and Honey

Spring marks the beginning of the lambing season so you might notice lamb becoming more widely available and fresher during this time of the year. Spring lamb is prized for its tender texture and mild flavor so you're likely to please even those who aren't typically a fan. Lamb also holds symbolic importance during springtime festivals and holidays and with the weather still cool after sunset, this hearty and spicy stew is a great choice.

Honey and lamb are a tried-and-true combination. They are both versatile ingredients that pair well with a wide range of herbs, spices, and other flavorings and honey brings a natural sweetness to the lamb that contrasts beautifully with its savory richness. Honey also contains enzymes that help tenderize meat making it an ideal ingredient in any meat dish that has a sweet flavor component.

This succulent stew includes a second step to add toasted nuts once the stew is cooked. The nuttiness compliments the earthy flavors and the crunchiness add a wonderful dimension to the texture. However, if for allergies or other reasons you want to omit that step, the stew is still delicious on its own!

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 2 lbs boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2 inch cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 Tablespoons Organic Wilelaiki blossom honey
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamon
• peel of 1/2 orange ( Use an vegetable peeler to remove rind, careful not to include the pith)
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup of either chicken or beef broth
• 1 cup almonds or macadamia nuts.
• Fresh lemon juice to taste
• Minced parsley for garnish

Directions:

Step 1

1. Brown the onion in a dutch oven over medium heat until soft , around 8 minutes.
2. In a large lightly oiled skillet, brown the lamb in batches over medium high heat. Season meat with salt and pepper as it browns, adjust the heat so that the meat browns without burning. Take off the heat and when slightly cooler, pour off fat.
3. Add the Organic Wilelaiki honey to the meat and cook over low heat until the honey coats the meat.
4. Add the meat to the onions in the Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat.
5. Add the carrots, garlic, spices, orange peel and stock.
6. Cover and simmer until the meat is tender, an hour or so.

Step 2

1. Toast the nuts in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. When cooled, chop the nuts slightly.
2. Taste the meat and add a few squeezes of lemon juice to taste. Remove the orange peel from the stew and discard. Add the nuts and stir.
3. Serve the stew over noodles or rice, garnished with the minced parsley.