A warming, hearty and delicious tagine perfect for when the weather gets colder. This recipe works just as well vegetarian, swap out the lamb with squash, mushrooms and chestnuts and replace lamb stock with veggie stock. If there are no quinces to be had – just leave them out!
If you’ve not got a lot of time on your hands, skip the toasting and blending of the spices and use already ground or why not try using Zaytoun maftool instead of freekeh?
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
- ½ – 1 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on desired
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 small sticks of cinnamon
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4cm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Zaytoun organic extra virgin olive oil
- 500g lamb neck, cut into large cubes
- 400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 400g lamb/chicken stock
- ½ tsp saffron strands (optional)
- 2 medium sized quince
- Pared zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 250g Zaytoun freekeh, rinsed, soaked for 15 minutes and drained
- Knob of unsalted butter
- 400g can of chickpeas, drained
- 500g Zaytoun medjoul dates, pitted and roughly chopped
To serve
- Handful coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C
- Toast the coriander and cumin seeds. Once cooled, using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder whizz to a powder with the cayenne pepper and ground ginger and set aside. Then whizz the garlic and fresh ginger to a coarse paste
- Season the lamb then on a medium heat, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in an oven proof casserole dish and in 3 batches, brown the lamb for a few minutes on each side and transfer to a plate
- Without washing the dish, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and 2 cinnamon sticks until fragrant and then add the onions and stir regularly until soft. Add the garlic and ginger paste stirring until combined, then add the spice blend and cook, stirring continuously until aromatic. Return the lamb to the pan along with the chopped tomatoes, lamb/chicken stock, saffron (if using) and salt and pepper, bring to the boil then place the lid on and cook in the oven for 1.5 hours or until lamb is tender
- Meanwhile, add the lemon juice and zest to a pan with 1 litre of water. Peel, core and segment the quince adding to the water as you go, bring to the boil then simmer until just tender, (approx 15 minutes), drain and leave to cool
- In a frying pan, heat the butter and 1 cinnamon stick then saute the quince segments on each side with a sprinkle of sugar until brown and caramelised
- Once lamb is tender, stir through the soaked freekeh, chickpeas and dates and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until freekeh is al dente
- Remove from the oven, stir through the quince segments, check seasoning and serve with coriander leaves and Greek yoghurt
Ingredients you can buy now
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The King of dates, with a succulent caramel taste
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