Moroccan lamb tagine
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- over 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 4–6
This authentic lamb tagine recipe will take you to slow-cooked perfection in six simple steps – just kick back and let it do its thing.
Based on four portions, each serving provides 1205 kcal, 91.3g protein, 57.7g carbohydrate (of which 52.4g sugars), 64.5g fat (of which 19.8g saturates), 14.1g fibre and 2.39g salt.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1½ tbsp paprika
- 1½ tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.1kg/2½lb lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm/2in chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp argan oil (alternatively use olive oil)
- 2 large onions, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 570ml/1 pint tomato juice (see recipe tips)
- 2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 115g/4oz dried apricots, cut in half
- 55g/2oz dates, cut in half
- 55g/2oz sultanas or raisins
- 85g/3oz flaked almonds
- 1 tsp saffron, soaked in cold water
- 600ml/1 pint lamb stock
- 1 tbsp clear honey
- 2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
Mix the cayenne, black pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put the lamb in a large bowl and toss together with half of the spice mixture. Cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon argan oil in a large casserole or saucepan. Add the grated onion and the remaining spice mixture and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes until the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes.
In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and brown the lamb on all sides. Add the browned meat to the casserole or saucepan. De-glaze the frying pan with 150ml/¼ pint tomato juice, scraping off any browned bits of meat stuck to the pan. Tip the juices into the pan with the lamb.
Stir the remaining tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, apricots, dates, raisins or sultanas, flaked almonds, saffron, lamb stock and honey into the lamb mixture. Bring to the boil.
Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 2–2½ hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.
Serve the lamb in a tagine or a large serving dish garnished with the chopped herbs. Serve with couscous or flatbreads.
Recipe tips
Argan oil is a Moroccan oil from the argan tree. You should be able to find it in specialist food shops. It will give you an authentic taste, but you can substitute olive oil instead.
Tomato juice is widely available and has a lighter flavour than passata. You can dilute passata with water if that's easier to get hold of (use one part water to one part passata).
You can save time by buying packs of diced lamb (available in supermarkets), which are usually lamb shoulder.
Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a microwave or on the hob until piping hot throughout.
