Nigel Slater, The Observer 18.10.25

 

Tagine of Lamb

 

A fragrant dish with a deep notes of spice and aromatics and a subtle fruitiness. I ask the butcher for neck of lamb on the bone.

Much of the silkiness of the gravy comes from the slow cooking of the bones in the stock, which you don’t get from using pieces of meat off the bone, though you can use that too. Use whatever stock you have, chicken or vegetable is fine.

Serves 4

middle neck of lamb 1.25kg, on the bone
plain flour 3 tbsp
olive oil 2 tbsp
onions 2 medium
garlic 2 cloves
ginger 3cm piece
cumin seeds 1 tsp
ground coriander 2 tsp
crushed dried chillies ½-1 tsp
rose harissa paste 1½ tbsp
dried apricots 250g
stock or water 750ml
mint leaves a handful
orange zest a little, grated
dried rose petals a few

Dust the lamb with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based casserole for which you have a lid. Add the lamb to the pan and let the pieces brown lightly on all sides. You will probably need to do them in two batches. Remove them from the pan, leaving behind any oil. (If the oil has blackened, remove and add fresh.) Heat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4.

Peel the onions and roughly chop them. Add them to the pan and cook over a moderate heat. Thinly slice and add the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger, then stir in together with the cumin seeds and ground coriander. Add the crushed dried chillies and rose harissa paste. Stir in the dried apricots, then pour in the stock, return the browned lamb to the pan and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Check the tenderness of the lamb, then, if necessary, cook for a further half hour or so, till the meat comes easily from its bones.

As you bring it to the table, scatter with mint leaves, grated orange zest and dried rose petals, and inhale.