Lamb Tagine

By Angela Barlow

This lamb tagine dish does just the job, mixing the spices with the delicate sweetness of fruit like apricots, dates and sultanas, to offer a tasty alternative to the usual casseroles or stew that are a staple. It’s not so hot that you need asbestos-lined taste buds but it is just warming enough so you know you are tasting something special. Usually I serve this interesting lamb dish with couscous but you could use rice just as well.

Ingredients to serve four to six people: 

1kg diced lamb - 1½ tbsp. ground ginger - 1 ½ tsp  ground black pepper - 2  tsp  ground cumin - 1 tbsp ground turmeric - 1 tbsp paprika - 1 tsp cayenne pepper - 1 tsp ground coriander - 2 tbsp olive oil - 3 onions finely sliced - chicken stock - 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped - 75g dates cut in half - 100g dried apricots - 75g flaked almonds - 50g sultanas - 1 tsp saffron strands (pre soaked) - zest of one lemon - 1-2 tbsp clear honey - 500ml passata - 500ml chicken stock - 400g can of chopped tomatoes - A handful of coriander and mint leaves finely chopped - lemon wedges and a few sprigs of coriander to garnish

1. l Preheat the oven to 150degrees C/fan, 130degrees C.
2. l  Put the lamb into a bowl, add the dry spices and mix well together. Cover and leave to stand for at least three hours.
3. l Heat a large casserole dish and add one tbsp. of olive oil. Add a small handful of lamb and cook until evenly browned. Tip onto a plate and repeat until all the lamb is cooked.
4. l Add the remaining oil and cook the onions over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes until soft then add the garlic and cook for a further couple of minutes.
5. l Return the browned meat to the dish together with the dates, apricots, almonds, sultanas, saffron mixture, lemon zest, honey, passata and chicken stock.
6. l Bring to a simmer and cook in the oven for one hour with the lid partially on.
7. l Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for another hour without the lid until the meat is tender. Stir in the chopped coriander and mint.
8. l Serve garnished with the coriander sprigs and lemon wedges.
9. l A little dollop of fromage frais or soured cream on each portion is an option as it can help contrast the spices.