Lamb Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses

This past week has been culinarily challenging for me, mostly due to a severe case of foodblock. Sure, I cooked tasty food this week, but it hasn’t been anything new and exciting. What I really needed was inspiration.

Backtrack to a month ago when @SuperDaniela was in town and we walked down to The Spice House in Old Town, one of my favorite shopping spots. We spent a good amount of time walking around smelling the merchandise, something you can’t do just anywhere.

At one point I came across bottles of pomegranate molasses, an ingredient I’d never heard of. Daniela was familiar with it and told me it’s popular in Middle Eastern cuisine and often used as a marinade or glaze for meat or chicken. Interesting to learn, I filed that tidbit away in the my head for a later date.

Well, a later date came this weekend when I was starved for inspiration and needed an adventurous and challenging new ingredient to get me back in the kitchen. So I walked back over to The Spice House and bought a small bottle of pomegranate molasses for $3.56. Then, after much internal back-and-forth, I decided to make a stew with lamb, lentils and pomegranate molasses.

The lamb, lentils and fresh herbs create a filling and earthy stew while the pomegranate molasses gives it a tangy kick, offset by a smidgen of smoked paprika. The flavor is unique but in an appealing, exotic way.

As for me, I’m just happy I got my cooking mojo back.

Here’s the recipe for lamb lentil stew with pomegranate molasses:

Lamb Lentil Stew with Pomegranate Molasses, serves 3 as an entree

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Salt

Pepper

10 ounces lamb, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (if you can find it use lamb shoulder; if the lamb came on-the-bone, save the bones to simmer with the stew for added flavor)

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (use a microplane or mince)

1 carrot, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup red lentils, rinsed under cold running water and drained

3 1/2 cups beef broth

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Mix the flour with a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add the lamb and toss so that the pieces are lightly coated in flour.

Once the oil has become hot, add the lamb so it lays in a single layer; do this in two batches if necessary as to not overcrowd the pot. Sear the lamb on all sides, about 3 minutes total. Remove the lamb from the pot and set aside.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pot, then stir in the onion, ginger and carrot. Saute the vegetables for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the mint, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, and lentils; mix well.  Return the lamb to the pot.

Pour in the beef broth, diced tomatoes and pomegranate molasses. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid just to a boil, then decrease the heat to low. Cover the pot so that the lid is slightly cracked (I use the handle of a wooden spoon to prop the lid open) and simmer 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes until the lentils are soft and the lamb is tender.

Serve the stew in four bowls and garnish each with a sprinkle of chopped fresh mint and 1/2 tablespoon toasted almonds.