North African in spirit, this hearty sweet and savory stew is perfect in winter. Serve it with couscous or good crusty bread.

SERVES 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE LAMB:

• 3 lb. boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and stuck with 1 whole clove
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf

FOR THE STEW

• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter or olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into small dice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbs. paprika
• 2 tsp. cumin seed, toasted and ground
• 2 tsp. coriander seeds, toasted and ground
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if canned
• 18 pitted prunes, halved
• 1/4 cup tomato purée
• 1 lb. medium parsnips, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

PREPARE THE LAMB:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Season the lamb with 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. In a 5-to 6-quart Dutch oven, combine the lamb, carrots, onion, cinnamon, bay leaf, and enough water to cover. Cover and braise in the oven until the meat is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve over a large bowl. Discard the vegetables and spices. (The recipe may be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead. Cool the lamb and broth, and refrigerate separately. Skim the fat from the broth before continuing.)

MAKE THE STEW:

1. In a 5-to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat the butter or oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant (don’t let the garlic burn), 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the chickpeas, prunes, tomato purée, and a pinch of salt. Add the reserved lamb and 4 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes and then turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the parsnips and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve sprinkled with cilantro or parsley.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING:

• 560 CALORIES | 54g PROTEIN | 52g CARB | 16g TOTAL FAT | 6g SAT FAT | 5g MONO FAT | 2g POLY FAT | 155mg CHOL | 950mg SODIUM | 12g FIBER