Toast your walnuts for maximum flavor… You can do this in the same casserole dish you make the stew in or in the oven. Either way watch them like a hawk lest they burn. Once the walnuts start toasting transfer them to a mini chopper and grind to a fine powder.

Heat olive oil and butter in your casserole until butter starts foaming. Add the onions, cover the pot and cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t let them color or catch.

Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon stick and orange peel, cooking for a minute or two.

Add the lamb, stirring to coat in the aromatic spices. If the pan gets dry, add a little of the stock and scrape any browned bits in the pan.

Drizzle in the pomegranate molasses and honey. Add the dried cranberries, stirring to combine. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.

Add the ground walnuts, stir to combine then cover the pot and cook on very low heat for about an hour. Open the casserole and give the stew a good stir every 20 minutes or so to make sure the walnuts are not sticking. By the the of your cooking time most of the liquid will have cooked down and the stew will be thick and glossy brown.

Discard the cinnamon stick and orange peel. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint. Scatter jewel-like pomegranate seeds over the stew and serve.