Braised Lamb with Picholine Olives

Ingredients

• 3 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 large red onion, vertically sliced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 cup picholine olives, pitted
• 4 cups hot cooked couscous
• 1 preserved lemon, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (optional)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of lamb to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Place lamb in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Repeat procedure with remaining lamb.
2. 2. Add coriander, onion, and tomatoes to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours.
3. 3. Add olives. Turn off slow cooker; let stand, covered, 30 minutes.
4. 4. Place couscous in shallow bowls. Spoon lamb mixture over couscous. Garnish with preserved lemon and cilantro, if desired.
5. Ingredient Tip: Preserved lemons are lemons that have been pickled in salt; their juices appear often in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. You can purchase them at specialty markets.