Lamb Tagine With Honey Prunes Onions And Toasted Food

MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a very large (12-to-13-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels. In batches, add the lamb shanks to the pot and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side, until they are nicely browned. Transfer to a plate and brown the remaining shanks, adding a little more oil, if necessary. Transfer all the shanks to the plate and set aside.
• Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more oil, if necessary. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for just 30 seconds. Add the chili powder, turmeric, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon and cook for one minute. Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, the chicken stock, brown sugar, lime, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the potatoes, butternut squash and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Place the lamb shanks in the pot, spooning some of the sauce and vegetables over the shanks. (They will not be completely submerged.) Cover the pot and bake for 3 hours, until the lamb shanks are very tender. Serve hot with couscous.

MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE WITH HONEY AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Cut lamb into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place in a medium-sized bowl. Season the lamb with turmeric, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Heat a tagine or Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and half of the seasoned lamb. Cook the lamb until browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the lamb from the pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining oil and lamb.
• Return the seared lamb to the pan and add the diced onions. Cook, stirring to get the browned bits off the bottom of the pan, for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, saffron, and cilantro bundle and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
• Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the apricots and raisins and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain and set the fruit aside.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat, place it on a clean plate, and keep warm. Bring the remaining liquid in the pan to a simmer. Add the sliced onions, apricots, raisins, honey, cinnamon, ground pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Return the liquid to a simmer and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until mixture is slightly thickened. Add the cooked lamb back into the sauce and cook to heat through, about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs. Serve with Moroccan Vegetable Couscous and Moroccan Yogurt with Preserved Lemon Dip.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toss the red pepper halves and onion quarters with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium bowl. Arrange pepper and onion, cut sides down, on a small baking sheet, drizzling any remaining olive oil onto the baking sheet as well. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the skin is browned and bubbly. Peel, seed, and dice the red bell pepper and dice the onion. Set aside.
• Rinse the couscous in a fine-meshed strainer under cold running water until completely soaked. Drain and place in a medium bowl. Allow couscous to stand and swell for 5 minutes.
• Arrange a vegetable steamer or other steamer insert with small holes in a large stockpot with water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the steamer. Bring the water to a boil and add the couscous to the vegetable steamer. Cover tightly and steam for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender and fluffy. Remove from the steamer, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cauliflower, and cook until lightly brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini, tomatoes and juices, garbanzo beans, chopped red onion and bell pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and cover to keep warm.
• In a small skillet heat the butter over medium heat. When foamy, add the almonds and cook until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Arrange the couscous on a large serving platter and top with the vegetable mixture, tossing gently. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the top and serve immediately.
• Put the yogurt in a cheesecloth lined strainer over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight to drain.
• Put the drained yogurt in a medium bowl and stir in the cucumber, mint, and lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

LAMB TAGINE WITH PRUNES, APRICOTS, AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cut lamb from bones, reserving bones, then cut meat into 1-inch pieces.
• Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a flameproof wide shallow casserole with a tight-fitting lid over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown meat on all sides in 2 batches, transferring to a plate as browned. Brown bones and transfer to plate.
• Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the casserole and cook onion, stirring, until softened. Return meat and bones to pot. Stir in water, saffron, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, until lamb is tender, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Transfer the lamb to a clean plate and add any meat from lamb bones, discarding bones. Add carrots and sweet potato to pot, then simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are barely tender, about 10 minutes.
• Add ginger, cinnamon, prunes, apricots, and squash, simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and fruits are tender, about 5 minutes. Return lamb to stew and add honey. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

LAMB TAGINE WITH PRUNES AND CINNAMON

Steps:

• Toss together lamb, onion, 3 tablespoons oil, spices (except saffron), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot.
• Lightly toast saffron in a dry small skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until just fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Crumble into wine and let stand 1 minute. Add wine to pot, then add enough water to just cover lamb. Gently simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in prunes and honey and simmer until meat is tender and sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt.
• Toast sesame seeds in dry small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until pale golden, then transfer to a small bowl.
• Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then fry almonds until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve tagine sprinkled with sesame seeds and almonds.

LAMB AND PRUNE TAGINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300F or 150 degrees C.
• Put the meat in a tagine or other earthenware casserole.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and put on the lid.
• Seal this tightly with foil, or a flour and water paste, and cook in the very low oven for 2 1/2-3 hours.
• As a variation, you could also make a soup by adding chickpeas, chopped onions, carrots, celery, turnips and plenty more water.

LAMB TAGINE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine lamb and 2 teaspoons salt. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• In a small pot, bring stock to a boil. Remove from heat, add apricots, and let sit at least 15 minutes.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a tagine, Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid, warm 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until hot. Working in batches, add lamb to pot, leaving room around each piece (this will help them brown). Cook until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer pieces to a plate as they brown.
• Drain fat, if necessary, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, ginger, 1 cinnamon stick and the spices, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add lamb and any juices on the plate, the apricots and stock, and half the cilantro. Cover pot with foil and then its lid, and cook in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until lamb is tender, turning it occasionally. (If using a tagine, you don't need to use foil.) Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat butter and 1 cinnamon stick over medium heat. Add almonds and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick.
• To serve, transfer lamb and juices to a serving platter. Top with toasted almonds and any butter left in the small skillet, scallions, parsley and remaining cilantro. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Serve with flatbread or couscous, if desired.

LAMB TAGINE WITH HONEY, PRUNES, ONIONS AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan filled with boiling water, blanch the pearl onions for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Peel the onions and set aside. In a medium Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the meat in batches on all sides. Transfer the meat to a platter. Add the diced onions (and Aubergine) to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Grind the saffron in a mortar and pestle (or rub it between your fingers) and add it to the beef broth. Return the meat to the pot. Stir the saffron mixture into the pot with the lamb. Stir in the honey, turmeric, cinnamon and prunes (apricots). Add the cilantro. Cover the pot tightly with foil and then with a lid. Put the pot in the oven and bake until the lamb is tender, about 50 minutes. Add the pearl onions, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small dry non- stick frying pan, toast the almonds until golden. Set aside. Remove the foil and lid. Carefully spoon off any grease. Add 1 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Return the pot, uncovered, to the oven, and let the sauce reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the Tagine with the toasted almonds. Serve on couscous.