Braised Lamb with Butternut Squash and Dried Fruit

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless lamb leg, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1/2 cup dried plums
• 1/2 cup dried apples, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Preparation

1. Sprinkle lamb with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, red pepper, and cloves. Heat oil in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add lamb; sauté 7 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.
2. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return lamb to pan. Add remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Add squash and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until lamb and squash are tender.