Monday night. Swimming night. Dinner needs to be made ready in the time it takes the Ankle Biters to shower and change. So Monday is generally a slow cooker night in the colder months. I do all the prep on the Sunday night and pop it in the fridge ready to be put in the slow cooker before I leave for work Monday morning. Oh and generally I try and remember to turn it on so I don’t have to dash home at lunchtime.

The tang of the rhubarb in this dish is the most wonderful accompaniment to the sweetness of the lamb. Even the Ankle Biters agreed! This dish has been adapted from a recipe in Women’s Weekly Slow Cooking. There will be no photo due to the lateness of the meal and the dark and dingy nature of my south facing kitchen.

Persian Lamb & Rhubarb Stew with Olive & Parsley Cous-cous
30g butter
500g diced lamb
1 onion, sliced
pinch saffron
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
3 sticks rhubarb, chopped into 3cm lengths
1/4 cup chopped mint
1 tablespoon orange blossom water*
Olive & Parsley Cous-cous
1.5 cups vegetable stock
1.5 cups cou-cous
30g butter
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 cup chopped parsley

1. Melt butter in fry pan and gently fry onion, saffron, cinnamon stick and turmeric for 3 minutes or until onion is softened.
2. Add lamb and fry until outside is browned.
3. Empty fry pan into slow cooker.
4. Add chicken stock and diced tomatoes and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.
5. Set vegetable stock to boil for cous-cous and at the same time, add rhubarb, mint and orange blossom water to slow cooker.
6. When vegetable stock has boiled, remove from heat and stir in cous-cous. Cover for five minutes. Fluff with fork occasionally. Immediately prior to serving, stir olives and parsley through.

*optional