Description
You can use any variety of vegetable, such as peas, cabbage, fennel, cardoons, turnips and so on. Sometimes, 'les Tuns' also add meatballs or osban, a spicy sausage made from veal and tripe.
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
400ml/14fl oz water
1 tbsp tomato purée
1kg/2lb 4oz lamb shoulder, cubed and seasoned with salt, pepper and 1 tsp paprika
2 onions, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 carrots, diced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
225g/8oz broad beans, shelled
1 leek, sliced
4 fresh artichoke hearts cut into chunks or 100g/3½oz frozen or a 400g/14oz undrained can of artichoke hearts
2 courgettes, sliced
225g/8oz fresh spinach
2 tbsp each chopped fresh parsley, coriander and dill
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
harissa or cayenne pepper, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 sheets matzoh, broken into small pieces (Jewish unleavened Passover 'bread', available at most supermarkets at Passover)
Method
1. Whisk the oil, water and tomato purée and pour into a large casserole. Add the lamb, onions, celery, carrot, garlic and cinnamon. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time.
2. Add the broad beans, leek, artichokes and courgettes. Bring back to the boil, cover and simmer for at least another 30 minutes, until the meat is tender.
3. Add the spinach, allow to cook down, then add the fresh herbs, leaving some for garnish. Add harissa or cayenne pepper to taste.
4. Place the pieces of matzoh on top of the stew and press down gently so they start to soften. Sprinkle with the reserved herbs before serving.
5. Serve with rice if a) you're Tunisian, b) you're not Jewish or c) it's not Passover. Otherwise serve with - more matzoh!
