Name: Lamb, Fig & Olive Stew
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground lamb, (see Kitchen Tip); 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided; 1 1/2 teaspoons herbes de Provence, (see Ingredient Note); ½ cup dry red wine; 2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium beef broth; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 4 plum tomatoes, diced; ½ cup chopped dried figs; ¼ cup finely chopped pitted green olives; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley; 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

Directions

Step 1

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add lamb and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a sieve set over a bowl to drain; discard the fat.

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Step 2

Wipe out the pan; add oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup garlic and herbes de Provence and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 3

Combine broth and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pan, increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, figs, olives and pepper; return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Step 4

Combine the remaining 2 teaspoons garlic, parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl. Serve the stew topped with the parsley mixture.
Step 5

Serves Two Variation: Halve all the ingredients except the cornstarch. Prepare the recipe in a large saucepan instead of a Dutch oven and use 2 teaspoons cornstarch (instead of 2 ablespoons) in Step 3 to thicken the stew.

Tips

Kitchen tip: It's not always easy to find lean lamb, but it's easy to grind your own. Choose a lean cut, such as leg or loin, trim any excess fat and cut into 3/4-inch pieces. Pulse in a food processor until uniformly ground, being careful not to overprocess. Or ask your butcher to grind a lean cut for you.

Ingredient note: Herbes de Provence is a blend of aromatic herbs including thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram and sometimes lavender and/or aniseed. To make your own, mix equal amounts dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram and savory in a small jar. If desired, add a pinch of dried lavender and crushed aniseed.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups

Per Serving:

317 calories; protein 27g; carbohydrates 24.6g; dietary fiber 3.1g; sugars 11.8g; fat 10.1g; saturated fat 2.2g; cholesterol 76.9mg; vitamin a iu 837IU; vitamin c 18.1mg; folate 43.5mcg; calcium 70.7mg; iron 3.2mg; magnesium 58.5mg; potassium 815.7mg; sodium 708.8mg; thiamin 0.2mg.

Exchanges:

1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 4 medium-fat meat, 1 fat

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Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Nutrition Facts

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Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Nutrition Facts