Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

Tags: #moroccan #lamb #tagine #stew #meat Serving: 4 servings Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

A fragrant, slow-simmered Moroccan braise of tender lamb, sweet apricots, and toasted almonds in a saffron-cinnamon sauce.

Ingredients

• 1,200 g lamb shoulder, boneless, 4 cm cubes
• 300 g yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 20 g garlic, minced
• 45 ml olive oil
• 12 g fine sea salt, divided
• 3 g ground black pepper
• 5 g ground ginger
• 3 g ground turmeric
• 3 g ground cumin
• 2 g ground coriander
• 1 cinnamon stick (2 g)
• 0.25 g saffron threads
• 500 ml low-sodium chicken stock, divided
• 200 g dried apricots
• 30 g honey
• 80 g blanched whole almonds
• 10 ml fresh lemon juice
• 10 g fresh cilantro, chopped
• 10 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Steps

1. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat.
2. Toast almonds for 4 minutes until golden.
3. Transfer almonds to a bowl.
4. Warm 100 ml chicken stock to steaming.
5. Add saffron threads to the warm stock.
6. Steep saffron for 10 minutes.
7. Place apricots in a heatproof bowl.
8. Pour the saffron stock over the apricots.
9. Soak apricots for 20 minutes.
10. Pat lamb dry with paper towels.
11. Sprinkle lamb with 8 g salt.
12. Sprinkle lamb with black pepper.
13. Heat olive oil in a 5 L Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
14. Add half the lamb to the pot.
15. Brown the lamb for 5 minutes.
16. Transfer the lamb to a plate.
17. Add the remaining lamb to the pot.
18. Brown the lamb for 5 minutes.
19. Transfer the lamb to the plate.
20. Reduce heat to medium.
21. Add onions to the pot.
22. Cook onions for 6 minutes until translucent.
23. Add garlic to the pot.
24. Cook garlic for 1 minute until fragrant.
25. Add ground ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and the cinnamon stick.
26. Toast the spices for 30 seconds.
27. Return the lamb and juices to the pot.
28. Pour the remaining 400 ml chicken stock into the pot.