Spiced Lamb Stew with Baked Rice

This is a signature recipe with most of my favorite flavors meshed into one easy satisfying dish!

Stew:
​1 lamb shoulder roast, 2-3 lb.
32 oz. beef or chicken broth / stock, canned or homemade
1 large can whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
6-8 large green olives, sliced
1/2 c. raisins, regular or golden
2 T. dried minced onion or 1/2 c. yellow onion, finely chopped
1 T. cumin
2 t. smoked paprika
2 t. ground coriander
kosher salt to taste

Baked Rice:
1 1/2 c. brown rice - short, medium, or long-grained
2 1/3 c. water
2 t. olive oil or unsalted butter
1/2 t. salt

For the stew:  Place roast in slow cooker.  Add all stew ingredients except for the salt.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours or until meat is tender enough to fall off the bone.  When tender, use tongs to remove meat from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board.  Remove and discard excess fat, cartilage, and bone.  Shred meat and return to slow cooker.  Add salt to taste.

For the rice:  Preheat oven to 375. In 8 x 8 glass baking dish, pour rice evenly over bottom.  Bring water to a boil and pour over rice.  Add oil and salt, stir to distribute.  Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 1 hour, let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

To serve:  Place rice in bottom of soup bowls, label stew over rice.