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Lemony Lamb Tagine

With the weather being on the cooler side, there never is a better time to start making your favourite tagine. This version of Lemony Lamb Tagine is full of zest, flavour and texture. And we suggest NOT skipping the raisins, even if you’re not a fan of mixing sweet and savoury, yufeed promises you that you will love them in this dish!  

Lemony Lamb Tagine

Serves : 6 – 8
Prep Time : 15 – 20 MINUTES
Cooking Time : 3 HOURS

Ingredients

  • Raisins – 1/2 Cup
  • Garlic – 6 Large Cloves, peeled, plus two heads kept whole
  • Salt – 1 tsp, or to taste
  • Saffron – 1/2 tsp, infused in 1/4 cup boiling water
  • Cinnamon – 1-2 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder – 1-2 tsp
  • Red Chili Flakes – 1/2 tsp, or according to taste
  • Red Onion – 2, roughly chopped
  • Red/White Onion – 1 Large White; roughly sliced
  • Grapeseed Oil – 1/4 Cup, plus 2 tbsp for searing
  • Lamb Cutlets – 2 kg, or any preferred cut of lamb
  • Potato – 250g, ideally baby potatoes, halved
  • Butter (unsalted) – 2 tbsp, optional
  • Fresh Parsley – 1/3 Cup, chopped
  • Preserved Lemons – 2 tbsp
  • Olives – 1/2 Cup, or substitute with preserved artichokes or use both
  • Lemon – 1, juiced
  • Method

    – Preheat oven to 180°C and place the raisins in an even layer on a parchment lined baking tray. Cook in the oven for no more than 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.

    – Place the peeled garlic cloves, salt, saffron water, cinnamon, turmeric, chili, red onion and half the oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the lamb cutlets into a large bowl and pour the sauce on top. Use your hands to ensure the lamb is fully coated. Cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

    – Before cooking, take the lamb cutlets out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes to bring them up to room temperature.

    – In a large pan, heat the remaining oil and sear the lamb cutlets on both sides so they get a bit of browning on the surface – about 3-4 minutes each side. You may need to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.

    – Once seared, take out of the pan and place the sliced onion on the base in an even layer, then top with the seared lamb along with all the marinade. Cut the remaining garlic heads in half and nestle in between the lamb.

    – Pour in enough water to just cover. Increase the heat and bring to boil. Once the water starts to bubble, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and leave to cook for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then add the potatoes, distributing them evenly and cook for an additional 30 minutes. At this point the lamb should be fall apart tender.

    – Take off the heat and leave to sit for at least 2 hours to bring down to room temperature. Either transfer to a large tupperware or place covered in the fridge overnight. This steps allows for the flavours to fully infuse and for the fat to float up to the surface, making it easier to skim off before serving.

    – A few hours before serving, take the tagine out of the fridge to bring up to room temperature. By now, the excess fat should have solified at the surface. Use a spoon to remove as much as possible. Transfer the lamb cutlets and potatoes only to a separate dish and set aside. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the stock into a pot. Use a fork or spatula to mash the onion and garlic to get as much flavour from them as possible, then discard.

    – Bring your stock up to a boil, then reduce heat to medium or low and leave to reduce for about 45 minutes to an hour. Check constantly and skim off any foam that accumulates at the top. Once the stock is significantly reduced, add the butter (if using), parsley and preserved lemon. Taste and add more salt if needed. Leave to simmer for another 10 or 15 minutes, then add the lamb cutlets and potatoes back into the pot.

    – Add the olives, distributing them evenly, and reduce heat to low. Cover and leave everything to infuse for an additional 20-30 minutes. Take off the heat and leave covered for about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sprinkle with some more chili flakes before serving.

    – Note, option to either add the raisins together with the olives or serve them on the side.

    – Either transfer to a serving platter, or serve in the same pot (I typically use a Dutch oven or tagine pot which works well).

    – Enjoy with a side of couscous, rice or quinoa for a lighter option.


    (*) Pantry recipes can be found in the yufeed app

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