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Why It Works
- Utilizing a daily cooking pot as an alternative of a conventional tagine permits for a extra constant and even cooking course of that stops moisture from evaporating too early.
- Retaining the pot coated throughout cooking traps that moisture, creating the dish’s savory, stew-like juices.
- Cooking the lamb and prunes individually ensures that the lamb is tender whereas the prunes retain their form.
Historically ready for celebrations and gatherings, this lamb and prune tagine is beloved all through Morocco. It showcases a stability of savory and candy flavors by combining tender lamb with succulent prunes and a mix of fragrant spices for a deeply comforting stew. Whereas this traditional dish is usually reserved for particular events in Morocco, my lamb and prune tagine recipe requires minimal effort, and is an effective way to deliver Moroccan flavors to the desk any evening of the week.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
What Is a Tagine?
The phrase “tagine” in Morocco refers to each an earthenware pot with a conical lid in addition to the dish ready inside the pot—a meal that has develop into one of the vital emblematic of all Moroccan dishes. A whole lot of years in the past, North African nomads used tagines as a transportable ovens, enabling them to prepare dinner any time whereas on the transfer.
The bottom of a conventional tagine is vast and shallow, with a conical lid that sits on the bottom. Collectively, the 2 elements represent a type of clay oven that’s positioned on a low flame for cooking. Whereas the meals slowly cooks, steam rises into the cone, condenses, then drips again down into the dish, holding the elements continually basted, which produces moist and tender outcomes. This cooking course of and the ensuing meal are similar to stew and braises.
At present, good tagines are available many alternative types. There are the normal clay tagines, however there are additionally forged iron tagines generally offered at cookware shops that match the type of the unique if not the fabric. The fabric from which a tagine is made makes a an enormous distinction in how the elements inside prepare dinner, which makes it troublesome to write down a recipe that works throughout all codecs. For instance, a dish’s cooking time can fluctuate lots relying on the kind of tagine used: A correct old style clay tagine will end in a considerably longer cooking time, whereas a cast-iron pot within the form of a tagine will take only a contact longer than a daily pot. This might additionally clarify why these days even many in Morocco put together their tagines in different cooking vessels, together with casseroles, Dutch ovens, and even stress cookers.
I’ve written my recipe under for a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. In case you are utilizing a extra conventional clay or forged iron tagine, the cooking occasions should be prolonged to make sure the meat is correctly cooked.
Tips on how to Guarantee a Completely Cooked Lamb and Prune Tagine
Whereas this lamb tagine does require a number of hours to simmer till tender, its preparation is pretty simple: Onions are slowly cooked till velvety and translucent with floor ginger, floor turmeric, and floor coriander—a mix of fragrant spices utilized in a lot of Moroccan delicacies. Then chunks of lamb, inventory, and a bundle of cilantro are added and slowly simmered till the lamb is spoon tender and enveloped in a wealthy sauce.
Whereas browning meat firstly of a braise is widespread in French and American-style stews and braises, in conventional Moroccan tagine preparation the meat is often not seared—I’ve saved true to the Moroccan method and skip browning the meat right here. Nevertheless, if desired, you possibly can brown the lamb in olive oil earlier than sautéeing the onions.
I’d argue that crucial ingredient on this recipe is time. Making an awesome tagine means giving the spices sufficient time to slowly steep and meld, which enriches their taste. The longer a tagine cooks, the extra advanced it’s going to style as soon as completed.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
Whereas the lamb wants a number of hours to prepare dinner, the prunes are finest simmered for only some minutes. They’re blended with honey and spices, and simmered in inventory or broth till plump, then spooned over the lamb proper earlier than serving. Cooking the prunes individually ensures they keep their form. The prunes are spooned over the lamb, which creates a lovely presentation and ensures that every spoonful could have the distinct texture of the lamb and prunes.
In Morocco, tagines like this are sometimes served with bread, which is ideal for scooping up the flavorful sauce. Nevertheless, this dish can be loved with couscous and even rice, which additionally work superbly to absorb the wealthy sauce.
This Comforting Moroccan Tagine Is Our Editors’ Favourite Treatment for the Winter Blues
Prepare dinner Mode
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For the Lamb:
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2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
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2 medium yellow onions (about 1 pound; 455 g), diced
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3 medium cloves garlic (15 g complete), minced
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1 1/2 teaspoons floor turmeric
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1 1/2 teaspoons floor ginger
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1/2 teaspoon floor coriander
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1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus extra to style; for desk salt use half by quantity
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1/4 teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
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2 1/2 kilos (1.13 Kg) boneless lamb neck or lamb stew meat (leg or shoulder or a mixture), trimmed of extra fats and reduce into 2- to 3-inch items
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1 small bunch cilantro, stems and go away separated, stems tied right into a bundle with kitchen twine and leaves reserved for garnish
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1/2 cup (120 ml) home made hen inventory or home made vegetable inventory or store-bought hen broth or vegetable broth
For the Caramelized Prunes:
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1 1/2 cups delicate pitted prunes (10.5 ounces; 300 g)
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1/2 cup (120 ml) home made hen inventory or home made vegetable inventory or store-bought hen broth or vegetable broth
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey
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1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) olive oil
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3/4 teaspoon floor cinnamon
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1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity
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1/4 teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
For Serving:
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Reserved cilantro leaves from above
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Loaf of crusty bread, couscous, or cooked rice
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Toasted sesame seeds
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For the Lamb: In a big Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, warmth oil over medium-low till shimmering. Add onions, cowl, and prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till onions are delicate and translucent, 10 to fifteen minutes.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
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Add garlic, turmeric, ginger, coriander, salt, and pepper and prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, till aromatic, about 3 minutes.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
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Add lamb items and stir to mix with onions and spices, then add inventory or broth and cilantro bunch. Improve warmth to medium-high and produce to a boil, then cowl pot, cut back warmth to low, and simmer, adjusting warmth as wanted to take care of a mild simmer and stirring each half-hour to forestall sauce from sticking to backside of pot, till meat is tender and separates simply when pressed with a fork, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Sauce might thicken barely throughout cooking, however pan shouldn’t be dry; if essential, add extra inventory or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, till there’s at the very least half an inch of sauce in pan. Season with salt to style.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
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For the Caramelized Prunes: As soon as meat is cooked, in a medium saucepan, add prunes, vegetable inventory, honey, olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and produce to a simmer over medium-low warmth. Gently simmer till sauce thickens barely right into a darkish syrup, about 7 minutes. Season with salt to style.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
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To Serve: Discard cilantro bouquet from the lamb. Switch lamb tagine to a serving bowl then organize prunes with their syrup over lamb. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro leaves. Serve along with your alternative of bread, couscous, or rice.
Critical Eats / Larisa Niedle
Particular Tools
Kitchen twine, giant Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, medium saucepan
Notes
In conventional Moroccan tagine preparation, browning the meat shouldn’t be sometimes accomplished. Nevertheless, if desired, you possibly can brown the meat in 2 tablespoons of olive oil initially of the recipe.
Make-Forward and Storage
The cooked lamb tagine and the prunes with syrup might be refrigerated individually in hermetic containers for as much as 5 days. Reheat on stovetop on medium warmth, including water if wanted to forestall scorching. Add garnishes simply earlier than serving.
