Moroccan Lamb with Apricots and Orange

I wanted to make a sweet Lamb Tagine. I had a choice between this one and another with prunes and honey. This time I decided to give this recipe a go.

To Make

Serves 6 - 8 people
preheat oven to 180oC
Gas Mark 5

1.5kg diced lamb
2 cloves garlic crushed
2cm fresh root ginger
1/2 small red or grenn chilli deseeded
50g fresh corriander leaves and stalks seperated
2 tbsp seasoned flour (sa;t and pepper)
1 tbsp ground corriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 litre lamb or chicken stock
420g cooked chickpeas
2 large cinnamon quills
85g raisins
85g dried apricots, quartered
2 large oranges, zested and juiced

Start by placing peeled garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks in a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds or until ingredients have formed a paste. Next in a large bowl mix the seasoned flour with the dry spices and black pepper, add the diced lamb and mix well until the meat is coated in the spice and flour mix.

In a large oven proof casserole or tagine, sweat the onion in half the olive oil for 6 - 8 minutes or until soft and jut strating to brown, then add the garlic paste and cook for a further minute. Remove from the heat while you brown the meat.

In a heavy frying pan, use remaining oil to brown meat in small batches in medium heat being careful not to burn the flour and spices. Stir regularly.

Once the meat is browned add it it to the casserole along with onions. Add stock, chickpeas and dried fruit and cinnamon quills. Mix well, then add orange zest and juice to lamb. Add the squeezed halve of oranges  to the casserole for flavour.

Cover the dish with a tight fitting lid and transer to the pre heated oven to cook for an hour, then carefully remove from the oven, taste a piece of the meat for tenderness and flavour, remove the cooked orange halves and ccinnamon quills and discard. Adjust the seaoning. If the meat is not tender return to the oven for a further 15 - 20 minutes and check again. Once the meat is tender stir in the chopped corriander leaves.

To serve

Serve with some steamed cous cous , along with tzatziki, a bowl of fruit chutney, warm pitta or flatbread and a simple salad.

*This recipe frezzes well *