This recipe is a delicious and warming stew full of rich spices and has a fruity kick from the apricots. It is a great crowd pleaser and I love how the lamb ends up melting in your mouth. I serve this with couscous and topped with flaked almonds and will be sure to fill you up.

Ingredients
1.5kg boneless lamb shoulder, fat trimmed & cut into cubes
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Oil, for cooking
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp grated ginger
1 cinnamon stick
650ml Carol’s Stock Market chicken stock
2-3 small tomatoes, diced
150g dried apricots, cut in halves
2 tsp lemon zest

Spices
3 ½ tbsp favourite ras el hanout spice mix
OR
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp turmeric powder
½ - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on spice preference)
¼ tsp ground ginger

To serve
350ml Carol’s Stock Market chicken stock
350g dried couscous
Sliced almonds
Roughly chopped fresh coriander

Serves
4-5

Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted.

Heat a large heavy oven-proof Dutch oven over medium high heat, once hot, add a generous drizzle of oil.

While pot is heating, toss the lamb with the salt and pepper.

Brown the lamb in three batches, leaving the lamb to colour on one side without disturbing before turning to colour on the other side, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove browned lamb from the pot and set aside in a clean bowl while you brown the next batch. Once all the lamb has been browned, turn heat down to medium and leave pot to cool down.

Add a light drizzle of oil to the pot, if needed, then add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until aromatic.

Add the tomato purée, ginger, cinnamon stick, and other spices (either a pre-mixed ras al hanout or the listed spices). Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the chicken stock to the pot and stir well, then return the browned lamb to the pot.

Bring to a simmer on the stove, once simmering, cover pot with the lid and transfer pot to the pre-heated oven and cook for 45 minutes.

Add the chopped tomato and apricots to the pot and return to the oven with the lid on and cook for another 1 hour. Finally, taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed, along with the lemon zest. Keep warm in the oven while you prepare the couscous.

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium sized pot then remove from heat. Stir in the couscous and season lightly with a bit of salt. Cover the pot and leave to stand, off the heat, until couscous has absorbed all the liquid (about 10-15 minutes). Fluff with a fork.

Serve the tagine with prepared couscous and garnish with sliced almonds and fresh coriander.