Name: Lamb Tagine with Winter Vegetables
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Comfort food
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced; 2 ½ lbs stewing lamb in a 1" dice (see Ann's Tips); 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 2 tbsp tamarind concentrate; 2 tsp honey; boiling, enough to cover the lamb; 1 lb Winter Squash - butternut, kabocha etc, seeded, peeled and cut into 1" wedges; 2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1" wedges; ⅔ cup pitted prunes; salt to taste

Lamb Tagine with Winter Vegetables is a cold-weather favorite. It's hearty, has a lot of complex flavor from the spices, and is very easy to make, even if your cooking skills aren't stellar. All you need to do is allow yourself enough time for it to cook until the lamb falls apart. I've chosen winter squash and carrots + a handful or two of prunes, but you could also add small, sweet, turnips to this mix - just be sure to peel them before cutting. The more exotic spice here is the tamarind concentrate. Tamarind has a deliciously tart flavor that complements the rich lamb. If you don't have any, don't worry, I've suggested a substitute in Ann's Tips. And don't sweat cutting the veggies. Do it while the lamb's cooking away. You have time! Enjoy

AuthorAnn Ogden Gaffney

RatingDifficultyIntermediate

Add the ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric to the pan. Cook stirring to mix for 1 minute to coat the lamb and onions

Yields4 Servings

Prep Time25 minsCook Time2 hrs 30 minsTotal Time2 hrs 55 mins

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced

2 ½ lbs stewing lamb in a 1" dice (see Ann's Tips)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp tamarind concentrate(see Ann's Tips)

2 tsp honey

boiling, enough to cover the lamb

1 lb Winter Squash - butternut, kabocha etc, seeded, peeled and cut into 1" wedges

2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1" wedges

⅔ cup pitted prunes

salt to taste

in a braising pan, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame. When it ripples, add the onions and sprinkle with salt. Cook stirring occasionally until they start to color at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the lamb to the onions. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until the lamb is browned all over.

Add the ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric to the pan. Cook stirring to mix for 1 minute to coat the meat and onions. Add the tamarind and the honey and stir to mix. Quickly add boiling water to the pan, just enough to cover the meat. Bring back to a simmer. Reduce flame to low. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile prep the winter squash and the carrots. Set aside.

After the lamb has cooked for 11/2 hours remove the lid. Add the reserved squash and carrots. Stir to mix. Bring back to a simmer. Cover. Cook 30 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Stir in the prunes. Cook 20-30 minutes more. The meat will be fork tender and the veggies soft but holding together. Taste for salt. Let the tagine sit for 10 minutes off the heat. Serve with either bulgur or steamed basmati rice.

Ann;s Tips

- Cubed stew lamb is good, but 3 or 4 thick slices of a cheap cut like best-end of neck are great. The bones in the meat add a lot of flavor to the sauce, and the meat is very easy to remove from the bones to put back in the stew before serving.
- Tamarind adds tartness. If you don't have it on hand, take a lemon, and cut it into 4 wedges. Tuck 2 of the wedges in with the lamb after you've added the water in step 2. At the end of cooking in step 4, remove them and use the remaining 2 wedges to spritz lemon juice into the tagine before you let it rest.

CategoryDinner, Gluten Free, MediterraneanCuisineComfort food, Lamb, Mediterranean, Middle EasternCooking MethodBraised

Ingredients