Name: Moroccan-Style Lamb Soup with Dried Apricots
Yield: Makes 12 First-Course or 6 Main-Course Servings
Cuisine: Morocco
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves; ¼ cup white wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves; salt and pepper; 30 pearl onions, peeled; ½ cup slivered almonds; 1 cup dried apricots; 1 medium-size onion, finely chopped; 2-½ quarts chicken, beef, or lamb broth or water; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 4 lamb shanks, cut in half crosswise by the butcher, trimmed of fat, or 1-¼ pounds lamb shoulder, cut into ¾-inch cubes; 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 4-inch cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground; 6 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 3 cups canned, seeded and drained; a ¼-inch slice of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped, or ½ teaspoon ground; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric or 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh; pinch of saffron

Preparation info

Makes
12
First-Course

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Splendid Soups

By James Peterson

Published 2000

About

Another delicious lamb soup from Morocco. The techniques for making this soup are very similar to those used in French cooking, but the herbs and spices used are completely different. I particularly like the exotic combination of dried fruit and almonds.

This recipe uses lamb shanks, which never seem to overcook and dry out, but cubes of lamb shoulder or lamb stew meat will do in a pinch.