North African Spiced Lamb with Jeweled Couscous

Cut the lamb shoulder into 1-inch cubes, trimming excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

Dice the onion and mince the garlic. In the same pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for another minute.

Return the lamb to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

While the lamb is cooking, prepare the jeweled couscous ingredients. Dice the dried apricots, roughly chop the pistachios, dice the zucchini and carrot into small cubes.

In a separate saucepan, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced carrot and zucchini, sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened.

Add the 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and cinnamon stick to the vegetables, stir for 30 seconds.

Add 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, add 2 cups couscous, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick and fluff the couscous with a fork. Stir in the diced apricots, golden raisins, chopped pistachios, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and half of the fresh herbs. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste.

Check the lamb for tenderness - it should be very tender. If needed, continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

To serve, place the jeweled couscous on a large serving platter. Top with the spiced lamb and its sauce. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and the remaining fresh mint and cilantro leaves.