Middle Eastern Lamb And Rice With Apricots - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 lbs boneless lamb, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
water, to cover, for simmering
1 cup dried apricot, cut into halves
2 tablespoons currants

Preparation

Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the water and the teaspoon of salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, stir with a fork, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender, but still somewhat al dente and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
In a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt the remaining butter and brown the lamb evenly. Add more butter if needed.
Add the garlic and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cumin; cook for 5 minutes.
Barely cover with water and simmer, covered for 20 minutes.
Add the apricots and currants and cook, covered for 20 minutes, or until lamb is just tender.
Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper, if needed.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F.
In a casserole, arrange alternating layers of rice, with any of the liquid it was cooked in, with layers of the lamb and the liquid it was cooked in, ending with a layer of rice.
Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve from the casserole.