For most Americans cooking fruit with lamb or other meat probably strikes an exotic note. But recently the notion seems to be edging toward the familiar.

The Moroccan Tagine, in multifarious variations, is perhaps the best known meat stew with fruit. The Moroccan dishes, as well those of modern Persia (Iran), probably have their source in ancient Persia.

Most of the ancient Persian recipes have been lost. However, Claudia Roden describes one that has survived, so we can begin with this in our excursion into the world of meat-with-fruit.

Stew vs. Braise

To preserve the cultural character of the Persian recipes, I have followed their instruction to cover the meat with liquid and retain all of it for a most generous sauce over rice.

A more concentrated sauce is produced if half the liquid is used and the meat braised. I think that this may be a Moroccan practice. This suggestion is mentioned as a variation in each recipe.

The ancient Persians thought lamb and apricots to have a special affinity. The following recipe is adapted from a cooking manual by al-Baghdadi, written early in the Abassid caliphate, a period which began in 750 AD and continued for five centuries. The recipe is thus over 1000 years old.

The Chinese, according to Hsiang Ju Lin, regard lamb as sweet, though rank. They suppress the rankness with wine. Al-Baghdadi took a different tack, using apricots’ "sweet acidity . . . to bring out the mild sweetness of the meat" (Claudia Roden, A Book of Middle Eastern Food, see Bookstore).

As old as this recipe is, it can still can use a little work. Al-Baghdadi had all spices finely ground, apparently routine for the time, but self-defeating for 2 hours of cooking.

Al Baghdadi did not brown the meat in this stew. Instead, he enrobed it in a thick apricot sauce that renders browning superfluous.

In making this dish, part of the fun is watching the sauce develop from thin yellow to a rich, deep orange as the apricots gradually disintegrate and merge into the lamb broth.

Serve over rice. Accompany with salad or spinach.

The dish is called mishmishiya after mishmish, the Arab word for apricot.

Serves 6

Soak apricots overnight. If still not very soft, place in water, bring to simmer, and drain. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher (or put through a food mill or food processor.)

Rinse lamb in cold water and cut in 1 ½ inch cubes. Place in pan and cover with water, just barely so that sauce will not be overly generous. Boil until scum forms and remove scum.

To prepare seasonings, chop onions. Crush cumin and coriander in a mortar or grind coarsely in a spice grinder. Peel ginger root and cut a coin 1/16 inch thick (this will be removed before serving). Pulverize almonds in a spice grinder or mini food processor.

To simmer, 2 hours

After scum is removed, stir apricots into the lamb. Stir in cumin, coriander, onions, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and almonds. Gently simmer, partially covered, 2 hours.

Sauce should be clear and manifest a shiny, deep orange color. Remove ginger before serving.

To thicken sauce

Al Baghdadi did not thicken the sauce. If you wish to thicken, place 1 teaspoon of arrowroot in a cup. Make a paste with cold water and stir into the sauce. Let boil a minute to thicken. (If using cornstarch, cook 10 minutes or so to remove raw taste.)

Variation

The original included ¼ teaspoon each saffron and mastic. Roden thinks these are optional. 1 teaspoon of rose water was added at the end.

Theoretically, the meat could be braised, that is, started with water only halfway to the height of the meat. This would result in a more concentrated, less generous sauce. However, the apricots thicken the sauce, and need the full quantity of water shown.

Koreshtha are ubiquitous in modern Persia. They are called sauces, but are more like stews in our terminology. These are a way of life, eaten every day, including a variety of meats, vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, and herbs according to season. A koresh is invariably served over rice.

Obviously, it can be a source of endless improvisation for the busy home cook.

In terms of taste, this is a simple, yet delicious koresh, flavored only with golden brown onions and cinnamon, plus fresh apples added at the end.

It is not the simplest to prepare, as onions must be golden brown, and cubes of meat browned on all sides.

The recipe is written for lamb but is also excellent with chicken. Although pork is not used in the Middle East, Roden recommends it as well. In fact pork may be the best of all with the apples. [.. cross-ref pork and chicken. ]

Serves 4

Heat butter rapidly in the sauté pan. Add onions and sauté until half are golden, 15 to 25 minutes.

Rinse meat in cold water. Add the meat and brown on all sides.

Move mixture to a saucepan of smaller size. Season meat with salt and pepper.

Cover barely with water. Bring rapidly to boil, then simmer gently until meat is tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add more water if necessary during cooking.

To add fruit

Peel and core apples. Slice them into fairly large pieces.

Sauté gently in butter until lightly colored all over. Add to the meat stew. Add lemon juice.

Cook 5 minutes longer. Do not allow apples to disintegrate, unless you intend to mash them with a fork.

Variation

For a richer texture, add yellow split peas, or lentils, when the meat starts cooking in water. This is quite tasty, and also thickens the sauce.

Use chicken instead of lamb. Remove skin and bones before adding fruit.

To braise, add water only halfway to height of the meat.

Proceed as for apple koresh above, except

Peel and pit peaches, then cut them into fairly large pieces. Fry in butter and add to the stew.

Simmer another 15 or 20 minutes. Add sugar, if liked.

Here the flavorings are somewhat more complex than the apple koresh above, with nutmeg and lemon juice added to the golden onions and cinnamon.

In the Middle East prunes seem to be a great favorite with stews such as this. But since all kinds of fruits and vegetables are used in koreshtha, we can feel free to use apples, pears, apricots, or whatever is liked.

Serves 4

Heat butter rapidly in saucepan. Add onions and sauté until they begin to be golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the meat and brown on all sides. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cover with water. Add lemon juice and cinnamon.

Bring rapidly to boil, then simmer gently until meat is nearly tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Add more water if necessary during cooking.

Add spinach and dried fruit. Cook 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Add water if necessary. This should be somewhat more liquid than a stew.

Serve over plain rice.

Variation

To braise, add water only halfway to height of the meat.