Warming Winter Moroccan Tagine
One of my all time favourites, easy as saying 1, 2, 3... this warming winter recipe is a Moroccan Lamb Tagine (or eggplant option*), first inspired by Claudia Roden's recipe via Stephanie Alexander's The Cook's Companion with some slight tweaks over the years. Here is my super simple version plus my own vegetarian version, swapping out lamb for succulent eggplant.
Time to prepare: 10 minutes, cooking time for lamb ~ 3 hours (for eggplant 1hr 30mins to 1hr 45mins )
Ingredients:
- 1kg of lamb shoulder with bone (or eggplant*), roughly cut by butcher/or lamb shanks
- 2 onions chopped roughly
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
- Teaspoon or two of Paprika
- Teaspoon or two of Coriander seeds
- Teaspoon or two of Cumin powder
- Teaspoon of Turmeric powder (or freshly grated)
- Teaspoon of Ginger powder (or freshly grated)
- Pinch of Saffron
- 1 bunch of fresh Coriander, roughly chopped
- 2-3 Beurre Bosc (brown pears), core removed, roughly chopped
- 8-10 dates pitted (optional), roughly chopped
- Vegetable stock 2 cups
Method:
The blissfully easy bit...
- Using a cast iron casserole dish preferable
- Place chopped onion in the base
- Place lamb* on top
- Sprinkle all seasonings on top
- Place fresh coriander on top (keep 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander to the side)
- Pour over vegetable stock
- Place in oven for ^90 mins (1 1/2 hours) on 160 fanforce, 180 conventional, 350 fahrenheit
- After ^90 mins, remove from oven and add dates and pears, stir all ingredients to ensure meat at the top is flipped and getting some of the stock
- Return to oven for another ^60 mins
- After ^60 mins check the lamb it should be falling off the bone
- Remove from oven ladle off about a cup or slightly more of stock and keep aside
- Return casserole dish to oven without the lid for another ^20-30 minutes to evaporate some of the juices
- Remove from oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes
- Just before serving make couscous using a mix of the stock you kept aside + boiling water, adding raisins and slivered almonds to the couscous if you like
To serve:
Couscous at base
Place tagine at top - sprinkle with remaining coriander.
Side dish: Steamed carrots and beans with olive oil, harissa and honey
Side dish: Steamed carrots and beans with olive oil, harissa and honey
*If using eggplants, suggest 3 x large eggplants, sliced sprinkled with salt left for 20 minutes then rinsed and placed on top of onion in casserole dish then follow recipe as outlined
^Reduce to 60 minutes, return to over for 30 minutes, then without lid for 15 minutes
