Lamb Tagine - Perfect for The Cold Weather

Dinner at our House on Saturday. The weather is so cold. It is Winter of course,  so we need nice warming food. A few weeks  ago I found on my blog... an excellent Fish Tagine, recipe courtesy of Anthony Worrall Thompson.
I have made that more than once recently. went down a real treat with guests
Would you believe, he has also got a recipe for a Lamb Tagine?
So I gave that a go
Thumbs up from the crowd.
I bought my meat from the Supermarket and they only had Lamb Shoulder chops.
I cut off as much of the meat as possible, then I left the bones in.... for extra flavour plus, some of that meat close to the bone is The Best, So don't throw that away

Ingredients

    1 tsp cayenne pepper
    2 tsp ground black pepper
    1½ tbsp paprika
    1½ tbsp ground ginger
    1 tbsp turmeric
    2 tsp ground cinnamon
    1 x shoulder of lamb, trimmed and cut into 5cm/2in chunks (about 1.1kg/2½lb meat in total) 

    2 tbsp olive oil
    2 tbsp argan oil...Optional I didn't use it
    (Argan oil is a Moroccan oil from the argan tree. 
    You should be able to find it in specialist food shops.)
    2 large onions, grated, I chopped them finely in the food processor    
    3 cloves garlic, crushed
    570ml/1 pint tomato juice, or Passata
    2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
    115g/4oz dried apricots, cut in half
    55g/2oz dates, cut in half
    55g/2oz sultanas or raisins, I used craisins
    85g/3oz flaked almonds
    1 tsp saffron stamens, soaked in cold water
    600ml/1 pint lamb or beef stock
    1 tbsp clear honey
    2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped
    2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preparation method
Place the cayenne, black pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix to combine.
Place the lamb in a large bowl and toss together with half of the spice mix. 
Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.


Next day
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of argan oil in a large casserole dish.
Add the grated onion and the remaining spice mix and
cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes so that the onions are soft but not coloured.
 Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes.

In a separate frying pan,
Heat the remaining oil and brown the cubes of lamb on all sides then
You will need to do this in batches

Add the browned meat to the casserole dish.
De-glaze the frying pan with ¼ pint of tomato juice and add these juices to the pan.
  
Add the remaining tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, 
apricots, dates, raisins or sultanas, flaked almonds, 
saffron, lamb stock and honey to the casserole dish.
Bring to the boil, cover with a fitted lid, place in the oven and
cook for 2-2½ hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.

Place the lamb in a Tagine or large serving dish and sprinkle over the chopped herbs.
Serve.

To accompany this dish. I made a colourful rice dish
for 6 people
2 tbs olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 yellow pepper, finely chopped
Sea salt and Pepper
2 1/2 cups Basamti Rice 

Handful of shelled pistachio nuts 
Cup of craisins
1 tablespoons powdered Chicken Stock dissolved
in Warm Water approx 5 cups

Garnish 
Handful parsley leaves, chopped
Grated Zest of 1 orange

Heat the oil in a pan 
Add onions and yellow pepper cook till soft
Season with Salt and pepper
Add garlic, nuts and craisins
Toss then add rice and cook till slightly toasted

Add water. 
There should be enough water so that if you touch the top of the rice
The water should come up to the first joint of your finger
Stir and bring to the boil
let simmer away till holes start to form (about 4 minutes)
Turn the heat off and
Cover with a tight lid
Leave for about 12 minutes
Remove lid
Fluff up with a fork and turn into serving dish

Scatter herbs and orange zest over the top
Serve

Some of the satisfied customers

It warms the Cockles of your heart!!!