African Lamb Curry

This is an unusual, flavorful buffet dish — very elegant with a rice ring. Serve with chutney, chopped hardboiled eggs and coconut.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean lamb, cubed
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 to 5 ounces dried apples, chopped
• 2 to 3 cups beef stock
• 1 teaspoon freshly-grated lemon rind
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup seedless raisins, plumped in Madeira wine to cover
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Brown meat in butter in a skillet; sprinkle with flour, thyme, ginger and curry. Stir well and add onion, garlic and apples. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
2. Gradually add 2 cups of the stock; cook and stir until slightly thickened and smooth.
3. Add lemon rind, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding more stock if needed, until meat is tender.
4. Stir in walnuts, raisins, soaking liquid and coconut. Simmer for 30 minutes to heat thoroughly.