Lamb Tagine
I have made this in the slow cooker and without the pomegranate seeds and it tasted great.
I have made this in the slow cooker and without the pomegranate seeds and it tasted great.
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 600 grams lean lamb from a leg or shoulder, trimmed and cubed
- 1 tablespoon moroccan spices
- 75 grams ready-to-eat prunes
- 75 grams ready-to-eat dried apricots
- 200 grams chestnuts peeled
- 2 tablespoons dried pomegranate seeds
- steamed couscous and chopped fresh coriander
- Carbohydrate 37.256675 g
- Cholesterol 213 mg
- Fat 24.6597791666667 g
- Fiber 1.37622919935578 g
- Protein 17.30698125 g
- Saturated Fat 11.9389666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (187g)
- Sodium 62.6529166666667 mg
- Sugar 35.8804458006442 g
- Trans Fat 2.66857333333334 g
- Calories 434 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Put lamb in casserole dish with the spice rub and 1 teaspoon oil, and toss. Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until golden. Add to the meat and pour in 400ml hot water to cover the meat. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours
- Stir in the next 5 ingredients. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes.
- Mix cornflour with 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir into casserole, cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Serve with couscous mixed with coriander.
Can this braise be successfully transferred to a slow cooker without altering the final texture? Cooking the meat at 160C for two hours breaks down collagen effectively, but a countertop appliance operating on a low setting for six to eight hours achieves the same tender result without requiring oven supervision. Shoulder cuts contain more connective tissue than leg meat, meaning they yield superior gelatin release during long simmering periods.
Substitutions demand careful management of natural sugars when dried fruits like prunes and apricots are introduced alongside honey. Maple syrup provides a direct one-to-one replacement for honey if a different flavor profile is desired, though the residual sweetness will remain prominent against the savory Moroccan spice rub. Chestnuts add density, but cooked butterbeans serve as a reliable starch alternative for anyone needing to avoid tree nuts.
Stirring the cornflour slurry directly into simmering liquid prevents lumps from forming, provided the cold water is mixed thoroughly into the starch before hitting the hot casserole. Boiling the mixture destroys the thickening properties of cornflour, so ensure the oven temperature remains at a gentle simmer during the final fifteen-minute thickening phase. Whisking vigorously guarantees an even distribution across the sauce.
Steamed couscous absorbs excess moisture efficiently, making it the standard vehicle for catching rich pan juices. Rinsing dried coriander thoroughly before chopping prevents grit from transferring into the grain mixture, preserving the clean herbal finish necessary to balance the heavy fruit and meat elements.
