Lamb Tagine with Prunes, Apricots and Almonds
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking, America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
Lamb shoulder braises slowly with ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and saffron until meltingly tender, then is served with honeyed prunes and apricots and crunchy toasted almonds.
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Method
- 1
Prepare the lamb. Heat the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C) and season the lamb with the tagine salt and pepper. Seasoning before browning lets the salt start drawing flavour into the surface of the meat.
- 2
Brown in batches. Heat the oil in the casserole over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in 2-3 batches, 6-8 min each, without crowding the pan. Each piece should be well coloured on several sides before you lift it out. Crowding traps steam, so the meat would turn grey instead of browning.
- 3
Build the spiced base. With the heat lowered to medium, cook the onions for 8-10 min until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic, fresh and ground ginger, turmeric, coriander, ground cinnamon and the cinnamon stick for 1 min until fragrant. Spices release their aromatic oils when briefly fried in fat.
- 4
Slow braise. Return the lamb and its juices, then add the saffron and its water, the 500 ml water and the coriander stalks, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and braise in the oven for 2 h-2 h 30 min, stirring once or twice. The lamb is ready when it yields easily to a spoon, as long gentle heat melts its connective tissue.
- 5
Simmer the fruit. Meanwhile, simmer the prunes, apricots, honey, cinnamon and 150 ml water in the small saucepan for 10-12 min. Stop when the fruit looks plump and the liquid has turned into a glossy syrup.
- 6
Toast the almonds. Fry the almonds in the oil in the small pan over medium-low heat for 4-5 min until golden, adding the sesame seeds for the final minute. Moderate heat toasts the nuts right through without scorching the outside.
- 7
Finish the sauce. Lift out the coriander stalks and cinnamon stick. If the sauce looks thin, simmer it uncovered on the hob for 5-10 min until it coats the meat; evaporation concentrates both flavour and body.
- 8
Serve. Spoon the lamb into a warm dish, top with the fruit and its syrup, and scatter over the almonds, sesame seeds and chopped coriander leaves. Offer bread or couscous alongside to soak up the sauce.
Storage
Cool within 2 hours and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze the lamb and sauce for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot (74°C) and add freshly warmed fruit and almonds to serve.
Equipment
- large heavy casserole (Dutch oven, 5-6 litres) with tight lid, or a tagine with a heat diffuser
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- small saucepan
- small frying pan
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 779 kcal |
| Protein | 37.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 41 g |
| of which sugars | 26.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 5.5 g |
| Fat | 53 g |
| of which saturates | 19.7 g |
| Fibre | 5.8 g |
| Salt | 1.77 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.8 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
