Lamb Tagine

by David Lebovitz

A savory Moroccan stew that can be customized to your taste.

Lamb Tagine

  • Servings: 6 servings

This lamb tagine is a traditional Moroccan stew that can be customized to your taste. You can substitute chicken for the lamb and add almonds, green olives, prunes or dried apricots for a sublime sweetness. Serve with cracked wheat or bread, and pass little dishes of raisins, marmalade, and chick peas for guests to add as they like.

Ingredients

  • 1 lamb shoulder, cut into 6 pieces
  • vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 1½ cups chicken stock (or water)
  • 1 teaspoon dried ginger
  • 1½ teaspoons coarse salt, plus more if necessary
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed and tied with a string
  • 20 threads of saffron
  • juice of ½ lemon

Directions

  • Up to three days before you plan to make the Tagine, massage the lamb shoulder with the salt and let it sit in the refrigerator before you cook it.
  • To make the Tagine, in a heavy-duty Dutch oven, heat a few tablespoons of oil and sear the lamb pieces very well, turning them only after they’re nicely dark, browned, and crusty. As you cook them, don’t crowd ’em in. If your Dutch oven isn’t big enough to cook them all in a single layer at once, brown the lamb pieces in batches.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the lamb is browned, add the onions and some of the stock, then scrape the bottom of the pan with a flat wooden spatula to release the flavorful browned bits. Add the remaining stock, then the spices, the bunch of cilantro, and the saffron.
  • Cover the pan and bake in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the lamb over in the liquid a few times during the oven-braising. The liquid should just be steaming-hot and simmering gently. If it’s boiling, turn down the heat. When the meat starts to fall apart easily, that’s when it’s ready.
  • Remove the lid and let the Tagine remain in the oven for another 30 minutes, so the juices reduce, becoming rich and savory.
  • To serve, remove the cilantro and discard. Squeeze some lemon juice into the liquid and add more salt if you think it needs it. Serve mounds of cracked wheat underneath the Tagine, with lots of the juices poured over. At the table, make sure you have a tube of harissa handy, the fire-y Moroccan hot sauce, for those of us who like spicy food.

  • For dessert, try something fruity and refreshing, like a scoop of Sour Cherry Frozen Yogurt.