Lamb, Orange & Prune Tagine
From Ainsley’s Fantastic Flavours, ITV
This rich lamb tagine is full of North African flavours and it’s worth trying to get hold of ras el hanout if you can as it contains a blend of many aromatic Moroccan herbs and spices. Fragrant orange blossom water is used as an ingredient in sweet and savoury dishes throughout North Africa and the Middle East – it’s citrus-floral taste cuts through the richness of the lamb perfectly. Lamb can be quite expensive so if preferred, cut the quantity, and add a tin of chickpeas or some new potatoes. I love the richness of prunes but use apricots if you prefer.
Method
In a bowl combine the lamb pieces, half the ras el hanout and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Rub together to coat the meat. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large casserole pan over a medium-high heat and cook the lamb for 3-4 minutes until brown all over, then remove from the pan. You may need to do this in batches, adding a little more oil if required.
Add the butter to the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook the onion for 6-8 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic, remaining ras el hanout, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon and cook for another minute until fragrant, adding a splash of stock to prevent burning if needed. Stir in the honey then return the lamb and its juices to the pan and add 700ml of stock, saffron threads and their soaking water, orange juice and zest and season well with salt and ¼ tsp of pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook over a low heat for 1.5 hours until the meat is tender (stirring occasionally and adding a little stock if needed).
Skim any excess fat and add the prunes and coriander to the lamb. Check for seasoning again and simmer over a low-medium heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Just before serving sprinkle in the orange blossom water. Serve in the centre of the table garnished with toasted almonds and coriander and with the couscous on the side.
For the Almond & Orange Blossom Couscous
Put a saucepan over a medium heat and drizzle in a little olive oil. Add the couscous and toast for 2 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat and pour over the hot stock. Stir and cover for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, season with a little salt and add a little drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle in the orange blossom water to taste. Stir in the herbs and scatter over the toasted almonds to serve.
Ingredients
- 900g lamb shoulder, boneless, trimmed and cut into 4cm cubes
- 1 heaped tbsp ras el hanout (or a mix of ground cumin, coriander, paprika)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 onions, thinly sliced or chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
- 2 tbsp runny honey
- 700-750ml light lamb stock, more if needed
- a good pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbsp warm water
- juice and pared zest of 1 orange
- 200g dried soft prunes
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, plus extra to serve
- ½ - 1 tsp of orange blossom water (more or less to taste)
- handful of flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish
- For the Almond & Orange Blossom Couscous
- extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 200g couscous
- 250ml boiling chicken stock
- ½ - 1 tsp orange blossom water, or to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley and or/coriander
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted