Succulent lean lamb leg slowly braised with onions, plums, preserved lemon and fresh herbs, delicately flavoured with fenugreek seeds. This stew is at its best and even more delicious when made the day before you serve it. You can also substitute pork neck or fillet for the lamb.

Serves 4 – 6.

Low-calorie cooking spray

2 large onions, chopped

800g lean lamb leg, cut into chunks

3tsp fenugreek seeds, ground up lightly in a pestle and mortar

Large bunch of fresh coriander, chopped

Large bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

6 large red plums, halved and seeded

1 large, preserved lemon, deseeded and cut into large pieces

Salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c, gas 4, 350f

Put a large oven proof lidded casserole dish on a medium heat, spray with the low-calorie cooking spray.

Add the chopped onion and fry for 5 – 8 minutes until golden brown, add the diced lamb and cook stirring frequently for 10 minutes to seal it without it becoming to brown, season with salt and black pepper.

Stir in the lightly ground fenugreek seeds and chopped coriander and parsley, stir well to combine.

Pour over enough boiling water to just cover all the ingredients then place in the oven to cook low and slow for 2 hours. Stirring occasionally. Top up with a small amount of water if it looks like its evaporating, as you don’t want the stew to become dry.

Remove from the oven and stir in the plums and preserved lemons, put back in the oven for another 30 minutes or until the plums become soft and delicious.

If you’re not serving the stew straight away, leave to cool completely, then refrigerate.

Gently reheat the stew and serve with mashed potato and green vegetables.

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s notes: If your preserved lemons are small then use 3 – 4, but you don’t want the recipe to be too lemony! the one I used was made by Mel see our blog recipe to see how she made them.