In winter time there is nothing better than cooking dinner in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.  It means that you can come home to a delicious warming, slow cooked (or pressure cooked) meal full of flavour!  And this  moroccan lamb is packed full of flavour.

I first published this in March 2016, but it needed new photos and I also wanted to add a pressure cooker method to it, so if you are short on time you can still have a flavour packed dinner.

The sweetness of this will be loved by the whole family.  It’s absolutely  delicious and using the slow cooker means you can prep it in the morning and eat it at dinner.

I’m always looking for yummy slow cooker meals, they are so easy and make those nights when you have a gazillion things to do and only one person to do it all much easier.   This one takes a while to set up- but you are rewarded with the flavour.  Trust me, it’s all worthwhile.  If you love your slow cooker, then check out my slow cooker ebook or our favourite chicken slow cooker recipe: sticky chicky.

To be honest, I’ve never been to Morocco, but I have a lot of their ceramics and I own a tajine, bought in London many years ago. I’ve eaten my fair share of Moroccan food too, both in restaurants and in friends homes.

Slow cooker Moroccan lamb certainly hits the hearty yummy dinner spot! The cinnamon and dates in this make it so sweet, something which really appeals the kiddies.

It was a hit with both mini kidgredients, although I may have lied and said the couscous was very small pasta.  If you’re feeling particulary enthusiastic you could flavour your couscous…but I wasn’t feeling energetic enough for that tonight.

Need

Don’t be daunted by the ingredients list. It’s all about flavour!

Yield: 8 serves

Moroccan Lamb with slow cooker method

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This Moroccan lamb is awesome for week nights! Easy to make in the slow cooker and perfect for developing flavours!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Ingredients

• 1kg lamb, diced
• 3 tsps cumin, coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsps salt
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 6 tbsps olive oil
• 1 eggplant, chopped into 2cm cubes
• 2 small brown onions, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 6 medjool dates, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 quarter of a preserved lemon, finely chopped
• 1.5 cups water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups diced tomatoes with their liquid
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or one cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight then boiled for 15 minutes)
• 4 tbsps chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

1. Combine the salt, cumin coriander powder, cayenne pepper and fennel seeds in a large bowl. Coat the lamb in the mix.
2. Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Fry the lamb in batches to brown on all sides. Transfer to the bowl of your slow cooker.
3. Fry the eggplant until brown on all sides, transfer to the slow cooker.
4. Add the onion and garlic and lemon, lower the heat and fry until soft.
5. Add the dates, the water and cinnamon. Bring to a boil then simmer until sticky. Add the tomatoes and the chickpeas, return to the boil.
6. Add this to the meat and eggplant and stir well.
7. Select low temp and 8 hours.
8. Serve hot with couscous.

Moroccan Lamb with pressure cooker method

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Ingredients

• 1kg lamb, diced
• 3 tsps cumin, coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsps salt
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 6 tbsps olive oil
• 1 eggplant, chopped into 2cm cubes
• 2 small brown onions, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 6 medjool dates, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 quarter of a preserved lemon, finely chopped
• 1.5 cups water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups diced tomatoes with their liquid
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or one cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight then boiled for 15 minutes)
• 4 tbsps chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

1. Set your pressure cooker to manual mode and the hottest temp.
2. Combine the salt, cumin coriander powder, cayenne pepper and fennel seeds in a large bowl. Coat the lamb in the mix.
3. Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in the pressure cooker at browning heat. Fry the lamb in batches to brown on all sides.  Remove
4. Fry the eggplant until brown on all sides.
5. Add the onion and garlic and lemon, lower the heat and fry until soft.
6. Add the dates, the water and cinnamon. Bring to a boil then simmer until sticky. Add the tomatoes and the chickpeas, return to the boil.
7. Add this to the meat and eggplant and stir well.
8. Select pressure cooking and time: 20 minutes, close and bolt the lid.
9. Serve hot with couscous.

Notes

I used my Tefal Cook 4 me for this recipe