We tend to avoid hot dishes like this in the summer time which is a bit silly really as they eat tagine all year round in Morocco which is usually hotter than Dublin whatever the time of year. Marinate the lamb up to 48 hours in advance, if you can, to maximise the flavour. Serve with herby couscous or bread.
Wine Suggestion: It was a hot day when we made this dish so we took inspiration from Spanish winemakers and chilled a red wine for 30 minutes and were delighted we did. Our choice was Massaya’s le Colombier from the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, a wine we find naturally pairs with Middle Eastern, North African and Spanish cuisine effortlessly. This is a winery really on the up and we think each new vintage is better than the last.
Lamb & Saffron Tagine – serves 6
- 1.8kg diced neck or shoulder of lamb
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
- 800ml passata or tinned chopped tomatoes
- 750ml chicken stock
- 2 tsp saffron strands, soaked in 1 tbsp of warm water
- 200g dried dates, halved
- 100g golden sultanas
- 75g chopped pistachios
FOR THE MARINADE:
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the lamb and mix until coated. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for up to 48 hours.
Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
Put a large casserole over a medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Sauté the onions for about 10 minutes or until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and ginger for the last 3-4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan and put over a high heat. Add the lamb and brown all over.
Pour half of the stock into the lamb pan to deglaze then transfer everything to the casserole with the onions.
Add the passata or tomatoes, the rest of the stock, saffron and soaking liquid, dates, sultanas and most of the pistachios. Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2-2½ hours until the meat is very tender and the sauce thickened. Serve sprinkled with chopped mint and the rest of the pistachios.
(Original recipe from ‘Marcus at Home’ by Marcus Wareing, HarperCollins, 2016.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 