lamb tagine - a feast for the senses!

By TheCulinaryChase

A tagine, the conical shaped cooking vessel, is traditionally made out of clay and was first used by North African nomads. The tagine’s conical top allows moisture escaping from the ingredients to condense on the lid and fall back onto the dish, resulting in fork-tender meat and vegetables using a minimum of liquid. Think of a slow cooker or Dutch oven.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, fat removed and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• pinch of saffron threads
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup pitted dates, sliced
• 1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander, chopped
• cooked couscous, to serve

Preparation

Step 1

3 lbs. boneless lamb shoulder, fat removed and cut into 1.5-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1½ cups chicken stock
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon honey
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of saffron threads
½ cup dried apricots
½ cup pitted dates, sliced
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted
⅓ cup fresh coriander, chopped
cooked couscous, to serve

The Culinary Chase’s Note: When mixing the spices into the meat, make sure every piece is coated. To make the couscous, place equal amounts of couscous and boiling water in a bowl with a tablespoon of butter. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to separate the grains and season to taste. Enjoy!