Lamb and Apricot Tagine
My boyfriends family and I decided to put on our own version of "come dine with me". We were all required to cook a 2 course meal of our choice. Having recently had this at my grandmothers house, I immediately fell in love with it. I admit it's not the healthiest choice I could have chosen but it's tastes incredible. This meal is probably more suited to a winters evening as it's quite a hearty and wholesome meal; a perfect comfort food.
Serves 5
Ingredients
Tagine
1kg diced lamb shoulder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
3 onions
4 cloves of garlic
60g sultanas
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp saffron stamens
750ml stock
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
350g apricots
a handful of coriander leaves
a small handful of mint leaves
Sides
500g new potatoes
400g fine green beansI decided to make this with boiled new potatoes however cous cous would work equally as well.
Method
1. Toss the cubed lamb in half the ground spices and leave for at least four hours. Overnight would be ideal.
2. Set the oven at 160C/gas mark 3. Warm the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based casserole and add the seasoned meat in small batches. Remove when it is browned nicely on all sides.
3. Peel and roughly chop the onions, then peel and finely slice the garlic. Add to the pan with the remaining spices and allow to soften and colour lightly. Stir regularly over a moderate heat so that the spices flavour the onions but do not burn.
4. Add the sultanas, honey, saffron stamens, stock, tomatoes and apricots, then return the meat to the pan. Bring to the boil, season with salt and black pepper, then cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for two and a half hours.
5. Lift out the meat with a draining spoon and boil the sauce over a high heat until it is reduced and thick, then stir in the roughly torn coriander and mint leaves. Return the meat to the sauce and serve.
Ingredients
Tagine
1kg diced lamb shoulder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
3 onions
4 cloves of garlic
60g sultanas
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp saffron stamens
750ml stock
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
350g apricots
a handful of coriander leaves
a small handful of mint leaves
Sides
500g new potatoes
400g fine green beansI decided to make this with boiled new potatoes however cous cous would work equally as well.
Method
1. Toss the cubed lamb in half the ground spices and leave for at least four hours. Overnight would be ideal.
2. Set the oven at 160C/gas mark 3. Warm the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based casserole and add the seasoned meat in small batches. Remove when it is browned nicely on all sides.
3. Peel and roughly chop the onions, then peel and finely slice the garlic. Add to the pan with the remaining spices and allow to soften and colour lightly. Stir regularly over a moderate heat so that the spices flavour the onions but do not burn.
4. Add the sultanas, honey, saffron stamens, stock, tomatoes and apricots, then return the meat to the pan. Bring to the boil, season with salt and black pepper, then cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for two and a half hours.
5. Lift out the meat with a draining spoon and boil the sauce over a high heat until it is reduced and thick, then stir in the roughly torn coriander and mint leaves. Return the meat to the sauce and serve.