Tender pieces of lamb, olives and raisins, combined in a deliciously spiced sauce, this Moroccan Style Braised Lamb Stew feels like an instant vacation
In a small bowl, combine all the spices for the spice mix and whisk until very well blended. Set aside.
In a separate bowl or better yet, in a glass measuring cup, combine the water, chopped sage, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest; whisk vigorously until well combined and set aside.
Remove netting from the roast, if present, trim off the excess fat if desired and then cut it into 2½" to 3" chunks; sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet set over high heat. Add the chunks of meat in a single layer, making sure that the pieces do not touch, and cook until brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. You will have to work in 3-4 batches; remove the cooked pieces of meat to a 7 quart Dutch oven while you sear the others.
Once all the meat has been seared, lower the heat to medium, add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, then throw in the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Pour in the water/lemon mixture and spice mix, whisk until well blended, scraping the bottom of the pan real good to detach all the bits of flavor that stuck to i; add all to the meat that's in the Dutch oven.
Cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hours. After that time, add the olives and raisins, mix them in very gently, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Garnish with a handful of chopped fresh parsley and a few extra raisins, and serve.