Beef and Sweet Potato Stew - Moroccan style!

This is an old post, and I don't have photos, but it was delicious so I'm sharing!

I've made a very similar recipe for chicken, which you can see here but I like this one better!   Not so many photos because we've all seen crock pots before (that, and I forgot to take some)

Serves 6 (quite heartily!)

Recipe inspired by and adapted from:
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-colombian-beef-and-sweet-potato-stew/
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/soups/beef-and-sweet-potato-stew/

INGREDIENTS
1 KG of stew beef (cut off visible flat globs)
2 tbsp of cornstarch = 1 tbsp of potato flour (alternately, use 1/4 c all purpose)
salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp each)
4 C of sweet potatoes peeled with large dice (about 2 large, or 3 medium)
1 small onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 stalks of celery sliced
2 medium carrots sliced
4 whole cloves
1 large cinnamon stick (or 2 small ones, alternately, use 1 tsp of grated cinnamon)
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp of cumin
1 cup of beef broth
1 28 oz of diced tomatoes in juice
Fresh parsley for garnish
2/3 c of sliced dried apricots and/or prunes



METHOD:
Get a pretty large stoneware/crockpot (about 4-5 quarts) and spray with cooking spray (or a mista) - this makes cleanup easier in the end!
Mix your salt and pepper, cornstarch, and potato flour.
Take your trimmed stew beef and toss with the cornstarch mix
In your stoneware add the onions, the garlic, the potatoes, the celery, carrot.
Throw in your cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cayenne, cumin, cloves
Put the beef ontop of this mix
Pour over your broth and tomatoes
Give the mix a very gentle stir
Cook on low for 7-8 hours (or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours)
A half hour before finishing time, add your prunes/apricots, gently stir into the mix  **see note
Serve when the time's up!  We enjoyed ours with socca bread and a garden salad.

**Note: If you note alot of flat globules on the top and want to do something about it to make the stew a bit less fatty, when you are adding the apricots/prunes, take out some of the liquid (a cup or so) in the pot and put it in the freezer, any fat will come to the top and will skim off nicely, a less greasy stew!  DOn't take out all the liquid, you don't want the stew to scorch into the stoneware!

COOKS NOTES:  Next time I'll use butternut squash since I think it will stand up better, or even just regular potatoes, but the flavour of the sweet potatoes was excellent and a great compliment in the dish.  This was delicious.