Indulge in this gutsy lamb and aubergine stew, brimming with North African spices and topped with a crunchy crust of feta and chickpeas. This dish is not only incredibly flavourful but also packed with fibre and iron, making it a wholesome and satisfying meal.
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/Gas Mark 6).
Chop the red onions. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish. Add the chopped onions and cook until they have softened.
Cut the lamb leg or shoulder into chunks. Season the lamb with salt and black pepper, then toss it in the plain flour until coated. Push the softened onions to the edge of the pan, add the floured lamb chunks, and cook for a few minutes on each side until nicely browned.
Crush the garlic cloves. Dice the aubergine, red pepper, and orange pepper. Add the crushed garlic, diced aubergine, diced peppers, ras-el-hanout, and harissa to the casserole dish. Cook for a few minutes until the spices become aromatic.
Add the chopped tomatoes and sugar to the casserole dish. Fill the empty tomato can with 400ml of water, swish it around to get all the bits out, and add it to the dish. Crumble in the beef or lamb stock cube. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the casserole dish and cook over a low heat for 2 hours.
Chop the fresh coriander and mint. Add the chopped herbs to the lamb stew and then transfer the stew into a baking dish.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Tip the chickpeas into a bowl with the cumin seeds, the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and some salt and black pepper. Lightly crush about half of the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher, leaving the other half whole. Add half of the crumbled feta cheese to the chickpea mixture and mix well.
Scatter the chickpea and feta topping evenly over the stew in the baking dish. Top with the remaining crumbled feta cheese. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is really crispy and the stew is hot and bubbling.
For a vegetarian alternative, substitute the lamb with large chunks of sweet potato and increase the amount of chickpeas.
This stew freezes beautifully. Once cooled, portion it into airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To ensure a truly crispy topping, make sure the chickpeas are well-drained and patted dry before mixing with the oil and spices.