Moroccan Lamb Tagine is a really tasty and exotic meal and it's a great dish to cook to get the children into the kitchen with you.
Ingredients
- 5-6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shoulder of lamb (deboned, cut into chunks)
- 4 onions (roughly chopped)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron strands
- 20 dried stoned apricots
- 20 dried stoned prunes
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- optional extras:
- a couple of handfuls of almonds or sesame seeds (toasted)
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- fresh coriander and mint
Method
- Heat the oil in the casserole dish, add the meat and onions and brown on a brisk heat. Sprinkle on the spices and continue to cook for a few minutes.
- Add enough water to almost cover the meat (leaving about a quarter above water level), stir and scrape the bottom of the casserole to deglaze and bring to the boil.
- Cover the casserole, add a little salt and pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 90 minutes, and up to 150 minutes, adding water as it cooks down.
- The dish is best left alone after two hours of cooking and then reheated the next day. You could also give a nod to tradition and cook the browned meat for a couple of hours in an oven preheated to 130-150°C (275-300°F/gas mark 1-2), stirring from time to time.
- About 20 minutes before serving, add the dried fruits and let them heat through. If you like, sprinkle with nuts and herbs, swirl in the honey and serve.
