Lamb with Chestnuts and Cinnamon

What a success. My mother got a tagine (Moroccan, conical-topped, earthenware cooking dish) and a number of Moroccan cookbooks for Christmas. I was so taken with them that I ordered the books and a tagine of my own. The tagine is not here yet, but the books are, so last night I took Authentic Recipes From Morocco, by Fatema Hal, for a test run with the above-named dish. Lordy, was it ever delicious; spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and turmeric (because I didn't have saffron), and orange zest (because I didn't have orange blossom water), it was rich and deep and mellow and I couldn't get enough. In general I have been convinced for a long time that I have much to learn from the school of spices-in-savory dishes school of cuisine; this recipe suggests I'm right. For those who don't like chestnuts (hi Mom!) it would have been just as delicious without them.