Moroccan beef stew

After a an extremely dry and sun filled Autumn, the cold and rain has finally reached Perth. Time at last for rich food and heroic reds.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg of blade steak cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon of ras el hanout
• 2 medium onions - roughly diced
• 3 cloves of garlic - diced
• Small pinch of saffron threads
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 200g of dried apricots
• 100g of pitted prunes
• 2 tablespoons of rosewater*
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• handful of roasted almonds
• parsley to garnish

How:
Mix the beef with the ras el hanout, so the beef is well covered. Let this sit for at least one hour. Then in an ovenproof casserole (eg Le Creuset) brown the beef in batches and set aside. This will leave a thin crust of spice on the base of the pot. Add a splash more olive oil and now fry the onion and garlic, after a few minutes add a pinch of saffron and if needed a few tablespoons of water to loosen the crust of spice from the bottom of the pan. Now return the beef, add two sticks of cinnamon and a half cup of water. Cover and place in a oven (160 degrees C) for 90 minutes.
While the meat is cooking prepare the fruit. Add the apricots, prunes, sugar and rosewater to a small sauce pan, fill with just enough water to cover the fruit and now bring this to the boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and then add the lemon juice. Add this to the casserole (after it has been in the oven for 90 minutes) and cook for a further 60 minutes. Just prior to serving toss in the previously roasted almonds and the parsley.

* I made my own by steeping a handful of rose petals in boiling water for 1 hour and then straining.