When it’s cold, a slow-braised dish is the ticket. Something that cooks until it’s fall-apart tender, utterly comforting, and perfumes the entire house. I had been kicking around a Middle Eastern-spiced lamb and tested seasonings until I arrived at this, a lamb shoulder that cooks until it is fragrant perfection. Be sure to use unsulphured apricots as sulphured will change the flavor. Aleppo pepper is not Moroccan, but a flavorful Syrian dried pepper that adds a subtle heat.

Moroccan-French apricot lamb shoulder

Serves 5-6

1 4.5-4.75 lb. bone-in lamb shoulder
1 1/2 cups dried, unsweetened, unsulphured apricots
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups lamb or chicken stock
1 cup water

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. turmeric

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. aleppo pepper

2 cinnamon sticks

4 tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

Salt and pepper

Handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. In a large stew pot/dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season lamb with salt and pepper and sear on all sides, roughly 4-5 minutes on each side. Add wine, stock, and water and turn the heat down to medium. Add apricots, all spices, garlic, and onion. Bring up to the boil, put on the lid, and put into the oven. Let cook for approximately 3.5 hours, or until the sauce has reduced by two-thirds and the lamb is falling off the bone. Discard cinnamon sticks, and serve topped with chopped parsley and sliced almonds.