Sticky Lamb Tagine with Apricots, Fennel, and Honey
“I have such a crazy obsession with Moroccan food. I love the heady, aromatic ingredients, and especially the tagines. In the simplest terms, tagines are magic. They’re essentially either meat or vegetables braised for a long time in beautiful spices and aromatics, dotted with subtly sweet gems and briny, bright bites like dried apricots, prunes, preserved lemons, and olives. For this version, we’re going with lamb because it’s super classic and the way it’s served right off the shank is so indulgently primal. By the end of its staycation in the oven, it should be so tender that you could serve it with a spoon. If you can’t, put that baby back into the oven until it submits.”
- Excerpt from Eating out Loud by Eden Grinshpan
- Excerpt from Eating out Loud by Eden Grinshpan
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SERVINGS
6
INGREDIENTS
- 4 lamb shanks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, finely diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 large fennel bulb, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon harissa, store-bought or homemade
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Large pinch of good-quality saffron threads
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- 4 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¾ cup whole dried apricots
- 1½ tablespoons chopped preserved lemon rind, store-bought or homemade
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Prepared couscous, for serving
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Season the lamb liberally with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb shanks and sear until golden all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a plate and set aside; don’t turn off the heat.
- Add the carrots, onion, and fennel to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook just until the vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, harissa, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin seeds, turmeric, saffron, and cinnamon and cook for a minute or two, until the spices are very fragrant. Return the lamb to the pot and add the stock and honey. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours 30 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the apricots and preserved lemon. Replace the lid and return the pot to the oven for another 30 minutes. You want the lamb to be falling off the bone. Top with cilantro and serve hot, with fluffy couscous
