Moroccan lamb tagine with apricots and preserved lemon
Long-braised spiced lamb shoulder with dried apricots, green olives and preserved lemon, served over couscous with toasted almonds.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 520kcal
Ingredients
Lamb and spice paste
- 1.5 kg boneless lamb shoulder cut into 4 cm cubes
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp paprika
- 0.5 tsp turmeric
- 0.25 tsp cayenne or chilli flakes
- good pinch of saffron threads
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper
Stew
- 2 tbsp olive oil for browning
- 2 large brown onions sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 g tin crushed tomatoes
- 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 150 g dried apricots halved
- 2 preserved lemons pulp discarded, rind chopped
- 100 g green olives pitted, halved
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp honey
To serve
- 400 g couscous cooked per packet
- 1 handful slivered almonds toasted
- 1 handful fresh coriander torn
- 1 handful fresh mint torn
- 1 lemon wedged
Instructions
- Combine spice paste ingredients in a bowl. Toss lamb until coated. Rest 15 minutes to 24 hours.
- Heat oven to 160°C fan.
- Brown lamb in olive oil in a heavy casserole in three batches, 5 minutes per batch. Remove.
- Soften sliced onions in the same pan for 10 minutes until deep gold. Stir in tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Return lamb with juices. Add preserved lemon rind and cinnamon stick.
- Lid on, oven 90 minutes.
- Stir in apricots, olives, and honey. Return to oven lid-on for another 45 to 60 minutes until lamb is fork-tender.
- Fish out the cinnamon stick. Taste, adjust salt and lemon.
- Serve over couscous. Scatter toasted almonds, coriander, and mint. Lemon wedges on the table.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 520kcal