2 lbs. Boneless lamb shoulder, cubed 

Salt & pepper 

4 Tbsp, olive oil, divided 

1 Tbsp. butter 

1 lg Onion, diced, approx 1 ½ cups 

1 lg Carrot, diced, approx 1 cup 

4 stalks Celery, diced, approx ½ cup 

1 Tbsp. Fresh garlic, minced 

1½ Tbsp. Fresh ginger, grated 

1 pint Cherry tomatoes, roasted - see note  

1 cup White wine 

2 cups Chicken broth 

2 cups Crushed canned tomatoes 

1 Bay leaf 

2 Tbsp. The Deliciouser Ras el Hanout spice blend 

¼ cups Dried apricots, diced 

1 - 15 oz. can Chickpeas, drained 

1 Cup Loosely packed mix of freshly chopped parsley, mint and cilantro to garnish   

Note: this step helps intensify the sweetness of cherry tomatoes 

Preheat the oven to 375° 

Toss the tomatoes with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast for 20 to 30 minutes in a shallow pan until tomatoes are bursting and lightly browned   

Preheat oven to 325° 

Remove the meat from the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Set a strainer or colander over a large bowl and set aside 

After 45 minutes, heat a heavy bottomed pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil and the butter. When the butter foams, sear the lamb in small batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pot.  

Drain the batches of browned lamb in the strainer and drain remaining fat into the bowl. 

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pan and stir in the onion, carrot and celery, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue cooking for a few minutes until onions become translucent, then lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper 

Stir in the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for an additional minute, until the fragrances are released 

Stir in the roasted cherry tomatoes with their juices and the white wine, then simmer to reduce by half 

Return the lamb to the pot and add the chicken broth, canned tomatoes, bay leaf, Ras el Hanout and apricots; stir to combine, increase heat and bring to a gentle boil, cover the pot with a lid and carefully place into the preheated oven. Braise for 2 hours 

After 2 hours check on the lamb with the tip of a knife, it should be starting to soften; stir in the chickpeas and return to the oven to finish cooking one more hour. The lamb will become meltingly tender after roughly 3 hours of gentle oven braising 

When the lamb is finished, skim any accumulated fat off of the surface and taste for seasoning, adjust with added salt, pepper or Ras el Hanout, serve garnished with fresh herbs 

Note: this dish is best made at least one day in advance so the flavors have time to fully marry, additionally any residual fat that has solidified on the surface can then be easily removed 

Serve with cous cous, short pasta shapes or rice and garnish with fresh herbs 

 Yield - servings 8-10