Lamb tagine

Description:
A Moroccan style dish ideal for a gathering and made ahead for a stress free Mum.

Main ingredients:
Fruit, Vegetables, Rice, Lamb, Nuts, Oil, Chilli, Spice, Herbs

Cuisine:
Indian

Ingredients:
2kg stewing lamb
5 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
3 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
Large pinch of saffron (optional)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 preserved lemons, drained and cut into thin wedges
300g dried apricots
250g dried pitted dates
100g shelled cashews or peanuts
2 tsp rosewater (optional)
25g cornflour
Small bunch coriander, leaves roughly chopped
Cooked couscous or basmati rice, to serve

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas mark 4.
Season the lamb well with salt and pepper evenly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and brown the lamb over a high heat in batches until browned.
Add 1 tablespoon more of the oil between each batch and transfer to a bowl as you cook.
Heat the remaining oil in the same dish over a medium heat and fry the onions for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly coloured.
Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
Return the lamb to the dish and add 1.5 litres of water, the saffron (if using) cinnamon and the lemons.
Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Cover with a lid or kitchen foil and transfer to the oven.
Cook for 1 hour.
Remove the dish from the oven and stir in the apricots, dates and half of the nuts.
Cover and return to the oven.
Cook for a further 30 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
Transfer the dish to the hob and season to taste.
Mix the cornflour with the rosewater (if using) and 3 tablespoons of cold water, then stir into the tagine. If you are not using the rose water, add 1 more tablespoon of cold water and stir.
Cook over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
When ready to serve, roughly chop the remaining nuts and sprinkle over the top.
Garnish with coriander and serve with couscous or rice.

Serves: 8-10
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 110 minutes
Recipe Type: Entertaining, Batch Cooking
Level of Difficulty: Easy