Skip to main content

A Lamb Tagine for New Year 2019

For Christmas I gave our son a set of spice mixes I bought at Chelsea Market in NYC.  And I promised recipes on this blog to use them.  Here is the first - using a Lamb Tagine mix, which could be substituted probably very well as I describe below, if you don't have that specific mix.

Here I prepare the lamb tagine with dates, but you could use dried apricots or plums, or use preserved lemons.  You can choose.  I served with whole wheat Israeli couscous - but serve with whatever your favorite sides this dish has a lot of sauce to go with sides.


2-1/2 lb boneless lamb cut into 2-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, matchsticked
2 carrots, peeled and matchsticked
1 yellow sweet onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 6-oz tin of tomato paste - about 2-3 Tbsp

1 quart best chicken broth (or beef broth if you prefer)
12-15 dates (preferably pitted)

2 Tbsp favorite Tagine spice mix, or:
1 Tbsp ras el hangout Moroccan spice masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

Preheat oven to 375F.  Start browning the lamb in a dash of olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large oven-going pot, heated to high.

Brown the lamb cubes with a good amount of air between them - this should take about 10-12 minutes between batches. Remove the lamb to a bowl as it is browned.
Add the carrot and celery to the Dutch oven and continue cooking for about another 5 minutes.  
Add the onions and continue cooking another 5-8 minutes to soften and slightly caramelize the veggies. The longer and slower you cook these puppies, the more flavor they will deliver to you.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2 minutes. Add the tagine spices and cook another minute or two.  Add a dash of olive oil if the mixture seems to become too dry.
Then add the tomato paste and cook another 4-5 minutes, until the tomato darkens and develops deep flavor.
Now add the broth and return the lamb to the pot.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Add the dates.  There should be enough liquid to almost, just about cover the meat mixture.  Use water if necessary.  Stir, cover and place Dutch oven in the oven.
Bake for about an hour, stirring at least once or twice.  Check for doneness - lamb should be able to be shredded easily with two forks.  If necessary, cook another 20-30 minutes.  

Serve with couscous, or favorite sides.  Serves 6-8.



Cook’s Note:  There is no question that stews like this are far better the next day - so if you are lucky enough to be able to prepare this dish the day before (or even 2-3 days before), go ahead and do it.  Let rest in the refrigerator, and gently re-warm on the cooktop before you are ready to eat.  Trust me (and my mother!) on this.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Haddock Roasted with Aioli and Tomatoes

This is a simple yet suculent way to roast fish. Here I use haddock, but you could use most any fish including cod or tilapia, or as I did on the west coast, wild-caught Rockfish (delicious). The tomatoes offer a fresh flavor complement to the fish slathered with a rich aioli topping. This is a quick, easy way to prepare fish on a busy weeknight. 1-1/2 lb haddock fillet (Captain’s cut preferred - thicker), patted dry Aioli: 1/4 cup good real mayonnaise 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 pint grape tomatoes 1/2 tsp dried dill weed Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish Lemon wedges for garnish Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a medium baking dish (about 7x10-inch). Lay haddock fillet in dish. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauce in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, cover the fillet evenly with the aioli sauce. Toss the tomatoes with a dash of olive oil and scatter them over the fish. Season with dill and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake fish for about 20 mi...
Post a Comment
Read more

'Back-of-the-bag' King Arthur Oatmeal Bread

This is one of the best loaves of bread I have ever made, based on a famous recipe.  Friends swear about King Arthur recipes, and now I do too.  I only modified King Arthur's recipe slightly, adding the yolk of the egg I used for the eggwash on the crust. Goes great with a big pot of bean soup.  And it toasts up so nicely - aroma therapy for the whole house! 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups bread flour 1 cup old fashioned oats 2 tsp active dry yeast 2 Tbsp honey 1-1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp butter, finely diced 1 egg yolk 1-1/4 cup lukewarm (about 100F) milk 1 egg white plus 1 Tbsp water about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats for topping Mix ingredients to a firm but still tacky dough.  You’ll have to adjust the final amount of dough to the humidity of your kitchen and flour - err on the sticky side for a lighter, moister loaf.  Knead dough 5 minutes.  Roll dough around in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise an hour. ...
Post a Comment
Read more