Crock Pot Morrocann Stew

Crock pot whether has come to Edmonton. Krista and I made this for her Mom's pot-luck birthday party on Sunday night and it was a real favourite.

Ingredients:
- two tablespoons of olive oil or ghee;
- 1 pound of Beef or Lamb, cut into cubes (I used round steak);
- 2 large onions, chopped;
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped;
- two bay leaves;
- spice mix made up of three heaping tablespoons cumin, 2 tablespoons chili powder or harissa paste (more to taste if you like), one heaping tablespoon ground cinnamon, tiny pinch of allspice, and a good bit of sea salt (approx. two tablespoon);
- 2 cup chopped carrots;
- 2 cups chopped potatoes;
- 1 half-cup of cashews;
- 1 cup of Medjool dates, chopped;
- three cups of beef or lamb stock;
- one cup Manschewitz wine.

Method:
- heat crock pot on medium, adding olive oil or ghee (crock pot is always covered);
- throughly coat cubed meet in spice mixture, let stand while doing next step;
- add in onions, garlic, and cashews, and dates, letting them cook on their own for about a half an hour;
- add in beef, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves - stir together with onion mixture already in the crockpot;
- cover with wine and stock, stir all together;
- cook on low/medium crock setting (not "warm" or "high") for eight hours, stirring ever couple of hours. You really need the slow, low-heat cooking. Shorter, higher-heat cooking will toughen the meat. The long-slow cook results in melt-in-your mouth deliciousness, "just like Grandma used to make."

Even better the next day!