Recipe for Lamb tagine
- Serves 4
- 450g (1lb) diced shoulder of lamb (excess fat removed)
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- A pinch of dried chopped chillies (optional)
- 150ml (¼ pint) water
- 6 slices of preserved lemons or 6 ready-to-eat dried apricots
- Oil
- A large sprig of parsley
- 1 large sprig of mint
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 150C (300F, Gas mark 2).
Fry the pieces of lamb in small batches over a fierce heat with a little oil until a golden colour.
Place them into a casserole.
Finely chop the onion and garlic and on a lower heat with a little more oil, fry them until nicely coloured then add the spices.
Fry a little and add this to the meat.
Boil the water in the frying pan to remove all the flavours, then add the tomatoes and preserved lemons or apricots to the water, give it a good stir and add this to the meat.
Chop up the herbs and add half of them to the casserole, reserving the rest until the end of cooking time.
Season with only a little salt if you are using preserved lemons, but if you are using apricots season well.
Place a lid on the casserole and put in the oven for about 2 hours, cooking gently until the meat is tender.
Taste for seasoning and just before serving sprinkle over the remaining chopped herbs.
Serve with the jewelled couscous.
