Lamb And Sweet Potato Stew

1. 1

   In a small saucepan, toast the whole spices (cumin and white peppercorn) over medium-high heat for roughly 1 minute. Add turmeric and paprika, then the cinnamon. Once fragrant (it should smell pretty fantastic), place the toasted spices into a grinder or mortar (I use the latter) and grind them into a rough powder.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, toss the cubed lamb with a teaspoon of salt and the spices.

3. 3

   In a large stew pot, heat the olive oil. Add the lamb and let it brown for several minutes. Push it aside and add the onion directly to the pan, and cook for a few minutes until it starts to soften and brown. Don't be alarmed by the fat and oil that will begin to accumulate in the pan-you want that, trust me. Push the lamb and onions to the side and add the tomato paste directly to the pan. Stir the paste to coat it in fat and oil, and cook until the tomato is caramelized, roughly 5 minutes. Follow your nose-it will smell deep and rich, rather than raw.

4. 4

   Add the wine and broth and bring to a simmer, then add the sweet potato. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, then taste and adjust the salt. At this point, you can stop, turn off the heat, and let it rest on the stove, covered until dinner-it will just get better.

5. 5

   If you've turned off the heat, bring the mixture back to simmering. Add the prunes and lemon and orange zest, stir, and taste. Add more lemon and orange zest to taste. This is a sweet-ish stew, so serve with lemon wedges, and some good bread, if you like. And wine.

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