A North African inspired dish, with aromatic spices and flavours designed to send your taste buds tingling. This is a perfect dish for that special occasion when you want to impress your friends, ideal for large gatherings and simple to make. There is no need for a tagine dish either, a large casserole dish shall perfectly suffice.
1kg diced & marinated Glenarm Redspark Lamb neck or shoulder
Tin of chickpeas drained
3 chopped garlic cloves
1 stick cinnamon
olive oil
1 large onion finely diced
4 tsp Ras el Hanout spice
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tin chopped tomatoes
500ml lamb or veg stock
200g chopped dates
200g chopped apricots
3 tbsp flaked almonds
2 tbsp honey
100g cous cous
1 lemon rind grated
Bunch coriander chopped
24 hours before you want to commence cooking you should marinade the lamb.
In a bowl drizzle the diced lamb with olive oil, ras el hamout spices thoroughly rubbing it in.
Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
Season the lamb with salt and pepper, brown it in a casserole dish and set aside.
Brown the onion in the same pan, add the garlic and ginger stirring for a further two minutes.
Add the tomatoes, marinated lamb, cinnamon stick and bring to the boil.
Add the stock, reduce and simmer for 60 minutes.
Stir in the chickpeas, simmer until heated and then add the dates, apricots, almonds and honey.
Soak the cous cous in 160ml boiling water and cover for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped coriander, lemon rind and a knob of butter, stir until fluffed up and serve with the tagine.
Inspired by travels around North Africa and the aromatic smells and tastes from the Moroccan bazaars this dish has found it into my repertoire. The lamb simply exudes flavour and spices and the aromatic and rose petal flavours from the dish are not what you expect to find in an Irish Farmers cookbook.