Preview: Moroccan Lamb Tagine

by Dawn T in Rouxbe Videos

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Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Preview: Moroccan Lamb Tagine

by Dawn T in Rouxbe Videos

Luxurious Middle Eastern spices and slow cooking make this Moroccan Lamb Tagine a tender and exotic stew.

Serves
4 to 6
Active Time
45 mins
Total Time
2 hrs

Step 1: Preparing & Marinating the Lamb

Preparing & Marinating the Lamb
  • 3 lb diced lamb shoulder
  • 1 tbsp ras el hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 medium onions

Remove the fat and the silver skin from the lamb shoulder. Then dice into about 1 inch cubes. Put diced lamb into a large bowl and add all the spices. Grate the onions using a food processor, or by hand, then add to the meat and mix thoroughly. Cover and place in refrigerator for 2 hours or even overnight.

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Step 2: Cooking the Meat

Cooking the Meat
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 large crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp dried ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom seeds
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp dried chili powder
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 4 pieces dried orange peel (or fresh)
  • 3 cups chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 375° degrees Fahrenheit.

Sear the lamb in batches over medium high heat in a Dutch oven. You may have to do this in 2 or three batches. Once all of the meat has been browned, crush and add the garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, ground cardamom seeds, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon stick and the dried orange peels. Then add the chicken stock and all of the reserved lamb and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot and place into the oven. Stew for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is quite tender. The meat will pull apart easily when it is done. Check it after about 45 minutes and stir. Then move on to the squash while the lamb finishes cooking.

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Step 3: Roasting the Squash

Roasting the Squash
  • 1 butternut squash
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

For the squash peel, de-seed and chop into approximately 1 inch cubes. Toss with oil, salt and pepper then bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 15 minutes, or until a fork goes in easily.

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Step 4: Finishing the Tagine

Finishing the Tagine
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 cup prunes

Once the lamb is ready dice the onions, carrots and prunes and fold into the tagine. Bake, covered in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the carrots are fully cooked. Fold in the roasted squash and serve with Moroccan couscous.

This dish is also delicious served the next day!

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Notes

I often make this stew the day before allowing the flavors to soak right into the meat.
Serve this with Traditional Moroccan Couscous, it's the best for soaking up all of the delicious sauce.

Go to School and Learn About:

Combination Cooking (http://rouxbe.com/school/sections/210/objectives)

Comments

Moroccan lamb Tagine

In step 4 the cinnamon stick and orange peels are mentioned but these are not in the list of ingredients. Is the peel of One orange enough?

by Lina D | May 20, 2007 | Permalink
Rouxbe User Photo
Rouxbe Staff
The cinnamon and orange peel are added in the Step 2

These two ingredients are in the full recipe. They are merely mentioned in Step 4. But they are actually added in Step 2. Take a look at the full recipe and you will see them under, "Cooking the Meat". Hope this helps! Good luck.

by Dawn T | May 20, 2007 | Permalink
Moroccan Lamb a La Missing Tagine!

You forgot to add the ingredients for the ras el hanout. And if this is "lamb tagine", who forgot about the tagine pot?!!!I was looking forward to learning about how to use a tagine. Not having the tagine slightly diminished my learning experience. Otherwise, the recipe seemed pretty tasty.

by Chance W | June 20, 2007 | Permalink
Rouxbe User Photo
Rouxbe Staff
Ras el hanout is a separate video

Sorry for any confusion. The ras el hanout is actually a separate recipe. It's sort of like garam masala, meaning a mixture of spices that is sold as such. But we also added the separate recipe just in case you wanted to make your own. Which is very easy and will keep for a very long time.
Here is the link for the ras el hanout http://rouxbe.com/recipes/53/

As for the tagine...there are two meanings for the word, one is the "pot" and one is the "dish" that is cooked in it. We chose not to use a tagine simply because most people would not have one.
We will do a video on it one day though, promise!

I can see what you are saying about missing out on the tagine. It does make the whole experience just a bit more authentic.

Thanks for your feedback! Glad you liked the recipe though.

by Dawn T | June 20, 2007 | Permalink
Perfect for a Crowd!

This is fantastic! I made it for a group of friends a few evenings back. They have spent much time in this region of the world and couldn't believe how authentic the tagine was. It was absolutely delicious and fed 8 two helpings.

by Graham H | December 06, 2007 | Permalink
Neither Preview nor the Full Recipe played!

I could not watch this recipe as the file did not play at all. I could watch neither preview nor the full recipe although the text recipe was there.

by Swati B | August 16, 2008 | Permalink
Great lamb

I have made this tangine at least 4 times. The first time, I made the ras el hanout and still have lots left which simplifies the recipe now. I love the blend of spices. Instead of shoulder, I have always used boneless leg of lamb. (Just a personal preference). The meat is very moist and delicious. Tonight I served it with rice instead of couscous and the best part is that I have 4 yummy meals for 2 tucked away in the freezer. I have never used a tangine pot but it is hard to believe it could taste any better than it does.

by Liz S | December 15, 2008 | Permalink
Morrocan cooking

This was the recipe that first led me to Rouxbe. I needed a 'specialty' dish to cook and as I am not a very confident cook, I decided that I had to have something that not many people are familiar with-Morrocan cooking! This dish is very versatile and as I cook onboard a yacht, I don't always have all the 'correct' ingredients. Thanks

by Carin M | December 16, 2008 | Permalink
Moroccan Lamb Tagine Recipe temperature question

I have a question--why is the over to be preheated to 375 degrees F (according to the text recipe) if the best temperature for the slow cooking phase is 200 degrees F? 375 seems high to me for tougher cuts of meat.

by Mary kay N | February 16, 2009 | Permalink
Rouxbe User Photo
Rouxbe Staff
Re: Oven Temperature

Lower and slower is better, you are correct. Good for you, it seems like you have been doing your homework :-)

To be honest this is an older recipe and we used to cook at higher temperatures, until our experiments proved that slower and lower is better with moist heat cooking...if time permits.

Really you can make this at either/any temperature - but again for the ultimate results - lower and slower is best! I have attached a Drill-down to step 2 of this recipe to help clarify this point.

by Dawn T | February 16, 2009 | Permalink
Oven temperature

Hi Dawn,

Thanks for the reply. We only have one oven, so after cooking the meat in the oven at low temp for an hour, I put the dutch oven on the stove top over a very low flame while roasting the squash at a higher temperature. My first attempt at lamb, and it was good and tender! Thanks for the recipe.

by Mary kay N | February 16, 2009 | Permalink
The best

Not only the best stew I have made, but also the best lamb-dish! I used Oregon grass-fed lamb and even through the bones into the stock-pot for some extra flavor-delicious and so tender and moist. I only used 2 orange slices and regret it now, I was afraid it would be over-powering, but not at all. Served it with sour dough bread, and the roasted squash. A hit!

by Lauren K | October 25, 2009 | Permalink

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