TAGINE-STYLE LAMB STEW

Tagine-Style Lamb Stew image

Traveling in Morocco 30-some years ago, I had eaten tagines - stews distinguished by being cooked in the pot of the same name - that I did not recall as involving any browning. This method is described as "starting the tagine cold." It involves heating the lamb gently along with spices and other aromatics, allowing the flavors to fully penetrate the meat. At that point it is covered and cooked until tender. When I tried the "cold start" approach, substituting a low heating of the lamb with aromatics and a little butter for the usual hard sear in olive oil, it worked like (well, kind of like) magic. The overall flavor of the dish was less robust than one that began with browning, but it was equally flavorful, in a gentler way.

Provided by John Willoughby

Categories dinner, one pot, soups and stews, main course

Time 2h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

2 pounds lamb shoulder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 20-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cooked couscous, for serving

Steps:

Trim excess fat from the lamb and cut into 1-inch cubes.
In a Dutch oven or other large, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the lamb, onion, garlic, pepper, salt, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, apricot preserves and vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until the aroma of the spices is strong, about 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not allow the meat to brown.)
Add chickpeas and stock, bring just to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently until the lamb is very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Add the raisins and continue to cook, uncovered, until they are nicely plumped, about 10 minutes more. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and lemon juice, and serve with couscous.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 494, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 30 grams, Fat 30 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 26 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 628 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams