Lamb, Pumpkin and Date Tagine
Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes
2 ½ serves per portion
Recipe courtesy of the Country Kitchens 2024 Country of Study Recipe Collection – Morocco
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons ras el hanout*
- 500g lamb leg or shoulder, fat trimmed, diced into 2cm pieces
- 2 cups butternut or kent pumpkin, diced into 1cm pieces
- ⅔ cup dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 400g can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups lamb or beef stock, salt reduced
- 1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves only, roughly chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup flaked almonds
- Greek yoghurt, to serve
*Note: use store-brought ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend), or try the Country Kitchens ras el hanout recipe to make your own
Method:
- PREHEAT oven to 200°C.
- HEAT oil over medium heat in the base of a tagine, or in a deep, ovenproof casserole dish with a lid. Add onion and garlic and stir until onion has softened.
- ADD ras el hanout to onions and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the mix. Add lamb to pan and brown lightly on all sides.
- ADD pumpkin, dates, tomatoes, and stock, and bring mixture to the boil. Once boiling, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour.
- REMOVE tagine from oven and stir. Return to the oven, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes, or until liquid has reduced and thickened.
- REMOVE tagine from oven and allow to rest for a few minutes.
- GARNISH with coriander, lemon zest, almonds and a dollop of yoghurt. Serve with couscous or bread.
What's Great About It:
This delicious, versatile recipe has a great depth of flavour. It is easy to swap the pumpkin for root vegetables. Similarly, try swapping the dates for the same quantity of dried apricots or prunes. Once in the oven, you can leave this dish to cook slowly so the lamb will be very tender, and the vegetables will take up the fragrant spices of the ras el hanout.
