Lamb Tagine With Apricots, Olives And Buttered Almonds

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 lbs bone-in lamb shoulder or 4 lbs lamb necks or 2 1/4 lbs boneless lamb stew meat, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 large spanish onions, peeled and quartered
• 2 cinnamon sticks, each 2 inches long
• 1 pinch crumbled saffron
• 1 1/4 cups dried apricots, sliced
• 1 cup cracked green olives, pitted and sliced if desired
• 2 -4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• cooked couscous, for serving
• chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 325 degrees. trim excess fat off lamb. put meat in a deep dutch oven or cast-iron pot with the garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, ginger and cumin. rub spices and garlic evenly all over meat.
• 2 thinly slice onions, then mince enough of them to yield 1/2 cup. add minced onion to pot with lamb; reserve onion slices.
• 3 place pot over high heat and let cook, turning meat on all sides, until spices release their scent, about 3 minutes. you need not brown meat. add 3 cups water to pot (it should come 3/4 of the way up lamb), along with cinnamon and saffron. bring to a simmer, then cover pot and transfer to oven. let braise for 45 minutes.
• 4 turn meat, then top with onion slices. cover pot and braise for another 45 minutes to an hour, or until lamb is very tender. use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to a bowl, leaving broth and onions in pot.
• 5 place pot on stove over high heat and add 3/4 cup apricots and the olives. simmer broth until it reduces by a third and thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. return lamb to pot and keep warm until serving. (tagine can be prepared 4 days ahead; chill, then remove fat and reheat before serving.).
• 6 to serve, chop remaining 1/2 cup apricot slices. in a small skillet, melt butter. add almonds and cook until well browned and toasted, about 2 minutes. put couscous in a serving bowl and top with almonds and butter and chopped apricots. pile tagine in center of couscous and garnish with herbs.