Atlas Mountain Soup

Ingredients

• 0.75 cups chopped dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 4 stalks celery , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large green bell pepper , sliced
• 1 pound tomatoes , coarsely chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1.25 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the apricots in water for 2 hours or more until soft; drain.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and paprika; cook and stir for 1 minute. Raise the heat to medium-high, crumble in the ground lamb, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon for a few minutes until browned. Stir in the drained apricots, celery, green pepper, and tomato.

3. 3

   Using a vegetable peeler, shave 5 - 6 strips of rind off the lemon and add to the soup with the juice of the lemon. Stir in the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently for half an hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.