Description
Hearty lamb tagine from Jamie Oliver brings North African flavors to home kitchens with minimal effort. Slow cooking creates tender meat infused with aromatic spices, making this dish perfect for comfortable weekend meals you’ll savor completely.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (900 g) lamb shoulder, neck, or leg, cut into chunks
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 1 sweet potato, cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 chicken or lamb stock cube or stock pot
- 2 tsps ras-el-hanout
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp honey
- 1 oz (30 g) dried cherries
- ½ bunch coriander, chopped
- couscous, to serve
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sear lamb chunks in olive oil over medium heat until golden-brown, developing a rich caramelized exterior. Transfer the meat directly into the slow cooker.
- Aromatic Base: In the same skillet, sauté onions and carrots until softened. Sprinkle ras-el-hanout and cumin, creating a deeply fragrant spice blend. Add tomato purée and crumbled stock cube, mixing with water to create a robust sauce.
- Layering Flavors: Pour the spiced sauce over the lamb in the slow cooker. Add sweet potato chunks, dried cherries, and a delicate drizzle of honey. Ensure all ingredients are generously covered with water.
- Slow Cooking Process: Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high heat for 4 hours, allowing the ingredients to meld and tenderize completely without interruption.
- Finishing Touch: Once cooking is complete, gently fold fresh chopped coriander into the tagine. Serve piping hot alongside fluffy couscous, releasing a captivating aroma that promises a sublime North African-inspired dining experience.
Notes
- Meat Searing Secret: Brown lamb thoroughly to lock in rich, deep flavors that elevate the entire dish’s taste profile and create a delicious caramelized exterior.
- Spice Layering Technique: Toast ras-el-hanout and cumin in the skillet before adding to release maximum aromatic oils and intensify their complex flavor notes.
- Liquid Balance Trick: Ensure ingredients are fully submerged in liquid to guarantee tender, succulent lamb that falls apart effortlessly during slow cooking.
- Finishing Touch Magic: Adding fresh coriander just before serving maintains its vibrant color and delivers a bright, fresh contrast to the deep, rich tagine flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg