Lamb & Apricot Tagine

• Lamb Shoulder(700 g)
• Olive oil(2 tbsp)
• Onion(1)
• Carrot(2)
• Garlic(3 cloves)
• Tomato paste(1 tbsp)
• Canned tomatoes(400 g)
• Chicken Broth(400 ml)
• Dried Apricots(120 g)
• Ras el Hanout(2 tsp)
• Cumin(1 tsp)
• Cinnamon(½ tsp)
• Honey(1 tbsp)
• Salt(1½ tsp)
• Black pepper(½ tsp)
• Couscous(240 g)
• Flat Leaf Parsley(15 g)
• Flaked Almonds(30 g)optional

Method

1. 1

   Trim any large excess fat from {Lamb Shoulder}, then cut it into rough bite-size pieces. Dice the {Onion}, slice the {Carrot}, finely chop the {Garlic}, roughly chop the {Dried Apricots}, and chop the {Fresh parsley}.

   ~15 min

2. 2

   Heat {Olive oil} in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the {Lamb Shoulder}, season with {Salt} and {Black pepper}, and cook until browned in spots. Add the {Onion} and {Carrot} and cook until softened, then stir in the {Garlic}, {Ras el Hanout}, {Cumin}, and {Cinnamon} for 1 minute.

   ~12 min

3. 3

   Stir in the {Tomato paste}, then add the {Canned tomatoes}, {Chicken Stock}, {Dried Apricots}, and {Honey}. Bring to a gentle bubble, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

   ~3 min

4. 4

   Cover and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the lamb is tender and the sauce is thick, rich, and glossy. If needed, uncover for the last few minutes to reduce slightly.

   ~40 min

5. 5

   Meanwhile, put the {Couscous} in a heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt. Pour over 300ml boiling water, cover, and leave for 5 minutes. Toast the {Flaked Almonds} in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden.

   ~5 min

6. 6

   Fluff the couscous with a fork. Spoon it into bowls, ladle over the lamb tagine, and finish with the {Fresh parsley} and toasted {Flaked Almonds}.

   ~5 min