Moroccan Lamb Stew

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

3½ pounds O-bone (round-bone) lamb shoulder chops, well trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 pounds lamb stew meat

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, diced

1 rib celery, diced

2 cups chopped onions

3 garlic cloves, minced

1½ tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

8 cups chicken and/or beef stock

1 cups water

2 blood oranges

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup slivered, blanched almonds

Raisins for garnish

Flatbreads

Mix salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat with spice mixture. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat, then working in batches, add lamb to pot and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Return all lamb to pot.

Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and ginger to pot and saute 5 minutes. Add stock and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until lamb is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate peel from blood oranges and reserve. Cut all remaining peel and white pith from oranges and discard. Coarsely chop oranges. Add oranges and grated peel to lamb. Cover and simmer until lamb is very tender, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in parsley, honey and almonds. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve in bowl with a few raisins on top and grilled flatbread.

Serves eight.

Chef Eric Feltman, 3 Vines Cafe and Wine Bar, Sleepy Hollow