Chefs Binge · Moroccan · Serves 5 servings

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Potatoes

Lamb shoulder slow-cooked with dates, raisins, apricots and warm Moroccan spices, with new potatoes going in near the end to soak up the sauce.

Prep

30 min

Cook

1 hr 40 min

Total

2 hrs 10 min

Serves

5 servings

Per serving

577 kcal

Ingredients

For the Lamb

900 g lamb shoulder or leg - cut into chunks

40 ml olive oil

160 g onion - finely chopped

15 g garlic - minced

12 g fresh ginger - grated

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper - optional, for heat

Salt to taste

For the Tagine

250 g tomatoes - chopped (or canned diced tomatoes)

110 g dried dates - diced

60 g raisins

150 g tinned apricots - with the juice. Fresh: pitted and quartered. Dried: add a splash more stock

300 g new potatoes - halved or quartered if large

450 ml vegetable or chicken broth

22 g honey

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Fresh coriander and parsley - chopped, for garnish

Equipment

Heavy Casserole or Dutch Oven · Zester

Method

Marinate the Lamb. In a bowl, combine the lamb chunks with ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika, black pepper, cayenne (if using), and salt. Mix well to coat the lamb evenly. Let the lamb marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator for deeper flavour.

Prepare the Tagine Base. Heat the olive oil in a tagine or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Brown the Lamb. Add the marinated lamb chunks to the pot and brown them on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.

Add Liquids and Simmer. Add chopped tomatoes, diced dates, raisins, broth, honey, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and lemon zest to the pot. Stir well to combine, and bring to a boil.

Simmer and Cook. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the lamb is beginning to tenderise and the flavours are melding.

Add New Potatoes. After 1 hour of simmering, add the new potatoes to the pot. Continue to simmer for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the lamb is fully cooked.

Add Tinned Apricots (or Fresh Apricots). About 10-15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, gently stir in the tinned apricots (or fresh apricots, if using). Allow them to warm through and absorb the flavours of the dish.

Final Touches. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and parsley. Serve hot with couscous, rice, or crusty bread.

Chef’s notes

Timing. An hour with the lid on, then another thirty to forty minutes once the potatoes go in. Take the lid off for the last twenty minutes and let the sauce reduce and gloss over.

The potatoes go in late on purpose. Add them at the start and they collapse into the sauce. Use a waxy variety so they hold their shape, and cut them to a similar size.

Dried apricots instead of tinned? Put them in with the potatoes rather than at the end, and add a splash more stock, because dried fruit drinks it.

Sweetness. Three fruits plus honey is on the sweet side. Use dates alone and leave the honey out if you want it closer to a classic tagine.

Better the next day. Cool it and refrigerate within two hours; it keeps three days. It freezes for three months, but potato cooked in sauce goes grainy after freezing, so hold the potatoes back if a batch is going in the freezer.

chefsbinge.com/moroccan-lamb-tagine-with-potatoes

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