Moroccan Lamb Tagine

This Moroccan lamb tagine is slow comfort food at its best: tender lamb simmered with warming spices, chickpeas and sweet dates until everything is rich and fragrant. For a deeper flavour, you can marinate the meat in the spice mix overnight before cooking. It is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, and pairs beautifully with quinoa or couscous and a few steamed greens.

Ingredients

• 1 kg lamb chops or chunks
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mixed herbs (oregano and thyme)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup prunes or dates, pitted and chopped
• 5 large tomatoes (or 1 can chopped tomatoes with juice)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups vegetable stock or bone broth
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. In a tagine or large pot, heat the olive oil and soften the onion. Add the lamb, then the garlic, and gently brown the meat. Stir in the cumin, paprika, ginger, mixed herbs, salt and pepper. For a deeper flavour, you can marinate the meat in the spice mix overnight.
2. Prepare the vegetables by chopping the tomatoes and carrot.
3. Add the chickpeas, prunes or dates, tomatoes, carrot, tomato paste, rosemary and stock. Simmer on a low heat for around an hour, checking there is enough liquid to slightly cover the meat. If cooking in a saucepan, stir occasionally.
4. If using a tagine, cook on a very low heat with the lid on for another 30 minutes. Stir the fresh parsley through just before serving.
5. Serve with couscous or quinoa (quinoa keeps it gluten-free) and steamed fresh vegetables on the side.

A warming, nourishing dish that is lovely shared with family, and even better the next day once the spices have had time to mellow.