24 Medjool dates, whole
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cinnamon stick
1 (32 oz.) container low-sodium chicken broth
1 (10 oz.) box couscous
1 cup almonds, halved and toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
In a small bowl, combine honey, paprika, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and mix well. Place cubed lamb in a large, re-sealable bag and pour in seasoning mixture. Seal bag, shake well, making sure to cover all sides of lamb cubes, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat and add onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and translucent, 8-10 minutes, and remove from heat. Remove lamb from refrigerator and bring back to room temperature. In batches, place cubes in Dutch oven and brown on all sides. Return onions to pot and cook with lamb. Add dates, cinnamon stick, garlic, ginger, lemon zest and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until lamb is cooked through and sauce has reduced. Prepare couscous according to packaging directions. Skim off excess surface fat, remove cinnamon stick, add toasted almonds and serve with couscous.