What’s on the Menu

 

Standing in the checkout line the other week I picked up the latest copy of New Idea.  I don’t normally buy these kind of magazines anymore but when I flicked through and came across the tagine recipes I just had to buy it.

I just love cooking in my tagine and the Lamb & Date recipe sounded real good.  And so I had to make it.

It was very yummy.  If you don’t have a tagine this recipe can be cooked in your slow cooker or in the oven for a couple of hours.

Want to make it, well here is the recipe.

Lamb & Date Tagine

(Serves 6)

• 1 deboned lamb shoulder (1.25kg) well trimmed and cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 tsps ground ginger
• 2 tsps ground cumin
• 2 tsps ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup pitted dates, halved
• 1/2 cup Turkish apricots, halved
• 1 tblsp honey
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• Pistachios, to garnish
• Cooked couscous, to serve

(now I didn’t have apricots so I just added a little more dates.  I also did not have a cinnamon quill or any saffron threads.  I used ground cinnamon and powder version of saffron.  And I didn’t use lamb shoulder, I used the Lamb forequarter pieces).

1. combined lamb, ginger, cumin, coriander and cayenne pepper in the a large bowl, season and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight. (I marinated for an hour)
2. Heat 2 tbsps of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.  Add lamb in two batches.  Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until browned.  Transfer to a 3.5 litre capacity tagine.  (did this in the base of the tagine as)
3. Heat remaining oil in same pan.  Add the onion, garlic, cinnamon and cook until soft.  Now add your stock and bring to the boil. Transfer to the tagine with the tomatoes. Place tagine lid on and simmer on very low for 1 hour ( now I found that the tomatoes ended up way to soft for my liking so next time I would add them after an hour).
4. Add dates, apricots, honey and saffron, cook for a another hour or until your lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened.
5. Garnish with pistachios and serve with couscous. 

And there you have it.  Enjoy!!!!!