Marquit Quastal

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds lamb (preferably shoulder), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 pounds chestnuts, fresh or frozen (defrosted)
• 12 tablespoons honey (optional)

1. Fry the onion in the butter or oil until it begins to color.
2. Add the garlic and meat and turn to brown it all over.
3. Add salt and pepper, ginger, and cinnamon.
4. Cover with water and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender, adding water to keep it only just covered and letting it reduce towards the end so that the sauce is rich and unctuous.
5. To peel the fresh chestnuts, make a slit on one side with a sharp, pointed knife and cook under the broiler, turning them over once, until they are browned and the skins come off easily.
6. Peel them when cool enough to handle but still hot.
7. Fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, add them to the meat and stir in the honey if using.
8. If using frozen chestnuts, defrost them thoroughly before putting them into the stew, and simmer 10 minutes.
9. Serve hot.
10. For a tagine with chickpeas, raisins, and chestnuts, add 1 cup cooked canned chickpeas and 2 tablespoons raisins at the same time as the chestnuts.
11. You could also add 1 tablespoon rose water.

onion, butter, garlic, lamb, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, chestnuts, honey

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/marquit-quastal-373408 (may not work)