Middle Eastern Lamb Stew

• 1-1/2 pounds boneless lamb stew meat (shoulder cut) or 2-1/2 pounds lamb shoulder chops, deboned, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 or 19-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
• 6 ounces baby spinach

Preparation

1. Place lamb in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Mix oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat the lamb with the spice paste and toss to coat well. Top with onion.
2. Bring tomatoes, broth and garlic to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the lamb and onion. Cover and cook until the lamb is very tender, 3 to 3-1/2 hours on high or 5-1/2 to 6 hours on low.
3. Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Mash 1/2 cup chickpeas with a fork in a small bowl. Stir the mashed and whole chickpeas into the stew, along with spinach. Cover and cook on high until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.

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