Lamb tagine with stewed apricots and prunes (mrouzia) recipe

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Lamb tagine with stewed apricots and prunes (mrouzia) Recipe. Enjoy delicious Moroccan food and learn how to make Lamb tagine with stewed apricots and prunes (mrouzia).  

A Moroccan staple, ‘tagine’ refers to both the dish and the vessel in which it is cooked. This recipe makes use of the classic sweet/savoury combination with stewed prunes and apricots to offset the unctuous lamb.

Serves 4
Preparation 15min
Cooking 2hr 10min
Skill level Mid

By
Hassan M'souli

Ingredients

1 tbsp ras el hanout (see Note)
1 tsp saffron threads
1 tsp ghee
125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
6 x 225 g lamb neck chops
4 onions, halved, thinly sliced
100 g (⅔ cup) raisins, soaked in a bowl of cold water for 2 minutes, drained
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
roasted blanched almonds and toasted white sesame seeds, to serve

Stewed apricots and prunes

200 g (1⅓) dried apricots
200 g prunes, pitted
125 ml (½ cup) orange juice

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Marinating time 10 minutes

Combine ras el hanout, saffron threads, ghee, oil and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add lamb, mix to coat and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add lamb and cook, turning, for 4 minutes or until browned all over. Cover lamb with 1 litre (4 cups) water and simmer over low heat, covered, for 1½ hours or until lamb is tender.

Meanwhile, to make stewed fruit, combine all ingredients in a saucepan with 180 ml (¾ cup) water over low heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 12 minutes or until fruit is plump. Set aside until needed.

Remove lamb from pan and set aside. Add onion to same pan and cook for 5 minutes or until it starts to soften. Reduce heat to low, add raisins and cook for 15 minutes. Add honey and sugar and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce is reduced by one-third. Return lamb to pan and cook for a further 10 minutes or until tender and warmed through. Stir through cinnamon and remove from heat.

To serve, transfer lamb to a large serving plate, cover with sauce, spoon over stewed fruit and sprinkle almonds and sesame seeds on top.

Note
• Ras el hanout is a Moroccan blend of spices from specialist food shops.

Photography Tom Donald.

As seen in Feast magazine, October 2014, Issue 36.