Lamb and Apricot Tagine

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg lamb shoulder, in 4 cm chunks
• 200 g dried apricots
• 3 onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp ras el hanout
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• a good pinch of saffron
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 600 ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp honey
• 60 g flaked almonds, toasted
• a handful of coriander
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Brown the lamb

   Season and brown the chunks hard in the oil in batches. Shoulder has enough fat to take a real sear and still turn meltingly soft after two hours.

   15 min

2. Onions low and slow

   Cook the onions in the same pan until soft and golden, then add the garlic. Moroccan stews get most of their sweetness from onions cooked properly rather than from added sugar.

   15 min

3. Bloom the spices

   Stir in the ras el hanout, cinnamon, ginger and crumbled saffron and cook for two minutes in the fat until fragrant.

   2 min

4. Braise

   Return the lamb with the tomatoes and stock, bring to a bare simmer, cover, and cook until the meat gives completely — around 2 hours on the lowest heat or in a 150°C oven.

   2 h

5. Apricots near the end

   Add the apricots and honey for the last 30 minutes. Added at the start they dissolve entirely and make the whole pot cloying; added now they plump and stay distinct.

   30 min

6. Finish

   Uncover and reduce if it is loose, then scatter with toasted almonds and coriander. Serve with couscous. Better the next day.