Lamb Ragout With Couscous

While getting my master's, I learned how to cook with a Crock Pot. It is still a favorite, especially when schedules are an issue. As winter approaches, Crock Pots are great for making stews. You do the prep the morning before and put on before going to work. When you get home, dinner is ready.

Recently, Kroger started carrying cubed lamb. I have such a hard time finding it that I bought every packet. A few nights ago, Trey was asking if I could make a lamb stew. So I pulled out my Better Homes and Gardens New Flavors from your Crocker Cooker cookbook. Page 42 contains the recipe Lamb Ragout With Couscous.

The only substitution I had to make was the artichoke hearts. I substitued jarred artichoke hearts for the frozen because I have never been able to find frozen hearts. I did not drain the hearts, just dumped into the cooker.

I recommend only cooking for 8 hours because you need the high heat for the zucchini and artichoke hearts. Make sure to let the zucchini and artichoke hearts cook for 30 minutes. If you don't the zucchini will be hard.

The next day for reheating, I put into a stock pot instead of microwaving in individual serving bowls. Reheating on medium heat took about 15 minutes and I did not get the dried out taste that microwaving can provide. Plus, the dish was was heated evenly.

I paired the dish with Decoy's Merlot. The dish melted in your mouth and the merlot balanced the dish with the right amount of soft spice.

Websites

• http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/food-storage-safety/crockery-cookers/
• http://www.decoywines.com/