Go Back
Donna R. Luis

Oven-Baked Lamb Couscous Apricot

A fragrant one-dish meal featuring spiced lamb, fluffy couscous, chickpeas, dried apricots, cinnamon, and fresh coriander, finished with lemon for a bright contrast.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Moroccan-Inspired

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 500 g lamb fillets sinew trimmed
  • 1 tbsp ras el hanout or Moroccan spices
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 1 1/4 cups 250g couscous
  • 300 ml chicken stock
  • 1/3 cup dried apricots chopped
  • 1/3 cup coriander leaves chopped, plus extra whole leaves for serving
  • 400 g can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • Sea salt to season
  • Black pepper to season
  • Lemon wedges to serve

Equipment

  • Shallow baking dish
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Mixing spoon or spatula
  • Aluminum foil
  • Serving spoon

Method
 

  1. Bake the Onion: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the thinly sliced onion in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with the olive oil, and toss until the onion is coated.
    Bake for 10 minutes, allowing the onion to soften.
  2. Season the Lamb: While the onion bakes, cut the lamb fillets into 2cm cubes and season with sea salt and pepper.
  3. Add the Lamb and Spices: Remove the baking dish from the oven and add the seasoned lamb, ras el hanout or Moroccan spices, and cinnamon quills.
    Toss everything together so the lamb and onion are evenly coated with the spices.
  4. Bake the Lamb: Return the dish to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, allowing the lamb to cook with the seasoned onion and cinnamon.
  5. Add the Couscous: Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the couscous evenly over the lamb mixture.
    Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine the ingredients.
  6. Bake the Couscous: Cover the baking dish with foil and return it to the oven for 10 minutes, allowing the couscous to absorb the stock.
  7. Add the Apricot, Coriander, and Chickpeas: Remove the foil and stir in the chopped dried apricots, chopped coriander leaves, and rinsed, drained chickpeas until evenly distributed throughout the couscous.
  8. Stand to Warm Through: Cover the dish loosely with foil and let it stand for 5 minutes so the added ingredients can warm through.
  9. Finish and Serve: Scatter the extra whole coriander leaves over the finished couscous and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Notes

  • Trim the sinew from the lamb fillets before cutting them into 2cm cubes.
  • Ras el hanout can be replaced with Moroccan spices as specified in the original recipe.
  • Rinse and drain the chickpeas thoroughly before adding them to the couscous.
  • Keep the cinnamon quills in the baking dish while the lamb cooks to infuse the mixture with their aroma.
  • Cover the couscous with foil during its final oven stage so it can absorb the chicken stock.
  • After adding the apricots, coriander, and chickpeas, cover the dish loosely and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
  • Finish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges just before serving.