Azerbaijani-style lamb with apricots & chestnuts

When I first went to Russia, before the end of communist rule, I fell for Georgian food. It was pretty much the only good food you could find, and I became interested in the food of the Caucasus. Now, many large Russian cities have restaurants that specialise in foods from countries that were part of the Soviet Union – not just Georgia, but Armenia and Azerbaijan, too. This is my version of a stew I ate the last time I was in Moscow. Serve it with a rice pilaf.

SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins plus 30 mins infusing COOK 1 hr 40 mins MORE EFFORT G

pinch of saffron

2 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil 800g braising lamb (such as

shoulder), trimmed of excess fat 2 large onions, roughly chopped 4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice 250ml lamb or chicken stock 100g dried apricots

125g cooked chestnuts (canned

or vacuum-packed)

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp sumac

15g coriander, leaves picked

and roughly chopped

1 Put the saffron in a heatproof cup and pour over 75ml boiling water. Leave for 30 mins, or until the water is a deep yellow colour.

2 Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and brown the lamb all over – you’ll need to do this in batches. Transfer the browned lamb to a bowl using a slotted spoon as you continue cooking the rest.

3 Fry the onions in the residual fat in the pan over a medium-low heat for 10-12 mins until golden and soft. Add the tomatoes and garlic, and continue to fry until the tomatoes have softened. Stir in the spices and cook for a few minutes, then return the lamb to the pan with some seasoning. Pour in the stock and infused saffron water. Bring to just under the boil, then add the apricots, chestnuts, and a little more seasoning. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook over a very low heat for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until the lamb is tender. At this stage, the lamb can be frozen. Leave to cool completely first, then transfer to a freezerproof airtight container. Will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

4 To serve straightaway, stir in the lemon juice, sumac and coriander. Alternatively, if you have frozen the lamb, defrost in the fridge overnight, then transfer to a saucepan and heat gently. When it is piping hot, add the lemon juice, sumac and coriander. Taste to check for seasoning, then serve.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • iron • 3 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 568 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 10g • carbs 38g • sugars 20g • fibre 7g • protein 44g • salt 0.5g