This slow-cooked lamb stew is a mash-up of Moorish ingredients: ras-el-hanout, harissa paste, saffron, olives, dried apricots, pomegranates, pistachios and plenty of herbs provide the exotic flavours.
Ingredients
- For the lamb tagine
-
- 4
lamb shanks - 3 tbsp
olive oil - 1
onion, thickly sliced - 2
garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped - 1 tsp
ras-el-hanout - 2 tbsp
harissa paste - 2
cinnamon sticks - ½ tsp
ground ginger - ½ tsp smoked sweet
paprika - 1 tsp ground
cumin - ¼ tsp freshly ground
black pepper - ½ tsp ground
turmeric - 1 x 400g/14oz tin
chopped tomatoes - 1 tbsp clear
honey - ½ tsp
saffron - 350ml/12fl oz
chicken stock - 125g/4½oz stoneless
dried apricots, halved - 110g/3¾oz green
olives, stones removed - 100g/3½oz
flaked almonds, leave a few for garnish - salt and freshly ground
black pepper
- 4
- For the tabbouleh
-
- 175g/6oz
bulgur wheat - 350ml/12fl oz
chicken stock - 1 small
red onion, finely chopped - 350g/12oz
pistachio nuts, shells removed, roughly chopped - 1
lemon, juice and zest - 1
pomegranate, seeds only - 3 tbsp extra virgin
olive oil - 3 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf
parsley - 3 tbsp chopped
fresh coriander leaves - 3 tbsp chopped fresh
mint - 3 tbsp chopped fresh
tarragon
- 175g/6oz
- To serve
-
- 2 tbsp
coriander cress
- 2 tbsp
Preparation method
-
For the lamb shank tagine, preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
-
Heat a large tagine pan or a large ovenproof dish. Season the lamb shanks all over with salt and pepper. Pour in the olive oil and, once hot, fry the lamb shanks all over until golden-brown. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
-
In the same pan you used to fry the shanks, add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.
-
Add the ras-el-hanout, harissa, cinnamon sticks, ground ginger, smoked sweet paprika, ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper and ground turmeric and cook for a further two minutes.
-
Add the lamb shanks back to the pan and stir well, then add all of the remaining tagine ingredients – except a few of the flaked almonds for garnish.
-
Reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and cook in the oven for two hours, or until the lamb is tender.
-
Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the tagine is slightly thickened.
-
For the tabbouleh, place the bulgur wheat into a pan with the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes over a low heat. When the bulgur wheat is tender, drain off the excess stock.
-
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, and then transfer the bulgur wheat to a bowl. Add the red onion, pistachios, lemon juice and zest, pomegranate, olive oil and herbs and mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
-
To serve, divide the tabbouleh among four serving plates, and then spoon the lamb shank tagine alongside. Chop the coriander cress and sprinkle over the tagine along with the flaked almonds.