While planning the week’s menu, Tyler requested a new recipe from our Milk Street cookbook. This is one of the few times that I have cooked lamb. To be honest, it was exciting to try a new recipe and I hope you enjoy this blog featuring a No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew.
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Published July 29, 2022
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To cilantro or not to cilantro
Do you love cilantro? This recipe calls for 1 cup of chopped fresh cilantro to garnish on the top of the soup. However, my brain actually does NOT enjoy the taste of cilantro. Personally, it tastes like soap, and I have never cooked with it. If you LOVE cilantro, let me know in the comments! Check out the link below that talks about the “reason why some people thing cilantro tastes like soap“.
No-Sear Lamb Stew Recipe
Ingredients
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 head garlic
2 Tbsp salted butter
1 large onion
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2-3 carrots
15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, drained
3 ounces baby spinach
1 cup chopped cilantro(optional)
3 Tbsp lemon juice
Plain Greek yogurt (optional)
Directions
1. Place 2 Tablespoons salted butter in a Dutch Oven and then heat to melt over medium heat.
2. Dice an onion on a cutting board and then set aside until the butter is melted.
3. Place the diced onions into the melted butter and cook them until tender and just turning brown, around 5-8 minutes.
4. When the onions are tender, add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste to the Dutch oven and then stir well and cook for 1 minute.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together the paprika, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, measure out 2 Tbsp of the spice mixture and reserve it to a small bowl, then set aside.
6. Reserve half of the seasoning mixture, then add the cubed Lamb to the medium bowl with half the seasoning and toss well until coated. Then set aside to rest.
7. Add half of the seasoning that was left to the Dutch oven and then mix well into the tomato paste and onions.
8. To the Dutch oven, add 6 cups of water and then mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
9. Cut the top of the whole garlic clove off and then set aside.
10. To the Dutch oven, add the cubed and seasoned Lamb and also the garlic clove with the cut-side down. Then place the lid over the Dutch oven with it slightly ajar and cook on simmer for 1 hour.
11. Peel the carrots, cut them lengthwise and then dice them to 1/2-inch, then add the carrots to the Lamb Stew.
12. Then add the can of drained chickpeas and replace the lid and cook on simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
While the No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew was simmering, we took a break from my scratch kitchen to attend Matthew and Levi’s final soccer games of the summer.
13. With a tong, remove the garlic head from the stew. Using the tong or a paper towel, squeeze to remove the cloves from the head and then add them back to the Dutch Oven. This garlic was SO hot that two paper towels were used to hold it while squeezing the garlic onto a bench scraper.
14. Rinse 3-cups of spinach and then either add them whole to the Dutch oven or dice them on a cutting board before adding to the Stew. After eating the stew, Tyler and I thought to try kale the next time this is on the menu.
15. Finally, add 3 Tablespoons lemon juice to the No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew, simmering a final 5 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Serve with a dollop of Plain yogurt, Plain Greek Yogurt and enjoy!
~Monica
Recipe for No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew
Ingredients for No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 head garlic
2 Tbsp salted butter
1 large onion
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2-3 carrots
15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, drained
3 ounces baby spinach
1 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
3 Tbsp lemon juice
Plain Greek yogurt (optional)
Directions for No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew
1. Place 2 Tablespoons salted butter in a Dutch Oven and then heat to melt over medium heat.
2. Dice an onion on a cutting board and then set aside until the butter is melted.
3. Place the diced onions into the melted butter and cook them until tender and just turning brown, around 5-8 minutes.
4. When the onions are tender, add 2 Tablespoons tomato paste to the Dutch oven and then stir well and cook for 1 minute.
5. In a medium bowl, stir together the paprika, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, measure out 2 Tbsp of the spice mixture and reserve it to a small bowl, then set aside.
6. Reserve half of the seasoning mixture, then add the cubed Lamb to the medium bowl with half the seasoning and toss well until coated. Then set aside to rest.
7. Add half of the seasoning that was left to the Dutch oven and then mix well into the tomato paste and onions.
8. To the Dutch oven, add 6 cups of water and then mix well and bring to a boil over high heat.
9. Cut the top of the whole garlic clove off and then set aside.
10. To the Dutch oven, add the cubed and seasoned Lamb and also the garlic clove with the cut-side down. Then place the lid over the Dutch oven with it slightly ajar and cook on simmer for 1 hour.
11. Peel the carrots, cut them lengthwise and then dice them to 1/2-inch, then add the carrots to the Lamb Stew.
12. Then add the can of drained chickpeas and replace the lid and cook on simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
13. With a tong, remove the garlic head from the stew. Using the tong or a paper towel, squeeze to remove the cloves from the head and then add them back to the Dutch Oven. This garlic was SO hot that two paper towels were used to hold it while squeezing the garlic onto a bench scraper.
14. Rinse 3-cups of spinach and then either add them whole to the Dutch oven or dice them on a cutting board before adding to the Stew.
15. Finally, add 3 Tablespoons lemon juice to the No-Sear Lamb and Chickpea Stew, simmering a final 5 minutes for the flavors to blend.
Serve with a dollop of Plain yogurt, Plain Greek Yogurt and enjoy!
~Monica
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