10 oz Pearl onions
2 tb Vegetable oil
3 lb Boneless lamb
-shoulder or stew meat
-cut into 1 1/2" pieces
5 tb Parsley, chopped
1/4 c  Cilantro, chopped
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1 ts Ground ginger
1/8 ts Crushed saffron threads
1 1/2 c  Water (approx)
8 oz Pitted dates
2 tb Honey
2 tb Slivered almonds, toasted

Cook onions in medium pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse
under cold water and peel.

Heat vegetable oil in heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in
batches, season lamb with salt and pepper, add to Dutch oven and brown,
about 4 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to bowl after
each batch is browned. Return all lamb and any juices to Dutch oven. Mix in
chopped parsley and cilantro, cinnamon, ginger and saffron. Add 1 cup water
and cup pearl onions. Reduce heat to medium-low. cover and simmer until
lamb is tender, about 1 hour.

Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb and pearl onions to bowl. Reserve 3
dates for garnish; add remaining dates and honey to sauce in Dutch oven.
Simmer sauce for 5 minutes, mashing dates to coarse puree with back of
fork. Add remaining pearl onions and simmer until almost tender, about 5
minutes. Mix in remaining cup water if necessary to thin sauce. Return
lamb mixture to Dutch oven; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to platter. Top with slivered
almonds and reserved dates.