Ingredients

For the stew

• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• small piece orange peel
• 2 lbs diced lamb shoulder, fat trimmed
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 3 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley to garnish
• 1 Tbsp chopped mint to garnish
• pomegranate arils to garnish

For the rice

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp salt
• 4 cups hot vegetable stock or water

Directions

Lamb stew on the hob

1. Toast your walnuts for maximum flavor — watch them like a hawk lest they burn. Once the walnuts start toasting, transfer them to a mini chopper and grind to a fine powder. (2 cups walnuts)
2. Heat olive oil and butter in your casserole until butter starts foaming. Add the onions, cover the pot and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let them color or catch. (2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, onions)
3. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel, cooking for a minute or two. (6 garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 2 cinnamon stick, large piece orange peel)
4. Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits in the pan.
5. Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and honey. Add the dried cherries, stirring to combine. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. (1-½ cup dried cherries, 6 tbsp pomegranate molasses, ¼ cup honey, 4 cups chicken stock)
6. Add the ground walnuts, stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook on very low heat for about an hour. Open the casserole and give the stew a good stir every 20 minutes or so to make sure the walnuts are not sticking. By the the of your cooking time most of the liquid will have cooked down and the stew will be thick and glossy brown.
7. Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint. Scatter jewel-like pomegranate seeds over the stew and serve.

Instant Pot lamb Stew

1. Select ‘Sauté’ and toast the walnuts for a few minutes, stirring. Use a slotted spoon to remove the walnuts and then grind them to a fine powder.
2. Add the butter and oil and heat until butter starts foaming. Cancel Sauté then adjust to lowest heat setting. Cook the onions until very soft, 15-20 minutes, stirring often so they don’t stick.
3. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel.
4. Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits.
5. Add the pomegranate molasses, honey, dried cranberries and chicken stock. Stir in the ground walnuts.
6. Cover and set vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes and allow for 10 minute natural release before manually releasing the steam.
7. Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with chopped parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds.

Slow Cooker Lamb Stew

1. Follow steps 1-6 of the hob method then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 6. Avoid opening the cooker to check on the stew!

Golden Rice

1. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a lidded pot. If making golden rice then stir in the ground turmeric, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, salt and a bay leaf. Stir to allow the spices to infuse the butter.1 tbsp unsalted butter, 5 cardamom pods, 1 bay leaf, ½ cinnamon stick, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp salt
2. Add the rice (no need to rinse) to the pot and stir to coat in the fragrant butter.450 g (2 cups) basmati rice
3. Add hot vegetable stock (or water) it should start simmering straight away. Stir once then cover the pot tightly and reduce heat to lowest setting. Leave to cook for 10 minutes without opening the pot.950 ml (4 cups) hot vegetable stock
4. Remove the lid and check the rice – almost all of the liquid should have been absorbed. Stir once with a gentle folding action.
5. Take the pot off the heat, cover with the lid and leave for another ten minutes for soft fluffy rice. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pods. Season to taste and serve.