This was a slightly experimental mish-mash based on what I did and didn't have in the cupboards. I had to improvise on the spices due to an absence of ras al hanout, mace, allspice, saffron or coriander leaf. The end result was very successful, however; sweet and spicy, and the meat just about right.
The recipe would work just nicely with couscous, for a fraction of the price, but quinoa is gluten free, as well as being the miracle superfood of our age. If using couscous, the cooking time is much less than quinoa. I imagine you'd pretty much mix it with the spice and onion, then cover with the stock and leave for five minutes.
I've used my approximate amounts, which served two and a baby, but it would double up nicely for a party.
ETA: I did this again a week later, replacing the slightly fancy lamb leg steak with about 400g of shoulder (once I'd trimmed out the fat and bone and cubed the meat). I had to cook it for about another 20 minutes, but the result was wonderfully succulent. As an additional lesson, be careful in sourcing the dried fruit; if the figs are very sweet you might want to consider adding a little more of the sharper spices (mainly turmeric and cumin).
I also don't have a tagine, so I cooked this in a saucepan.
Tagine
250g lamb, diced
1/4 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Put the lamb, flour, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon into a bag and shake to coat the meat in the spiced flour, then shake off the excess flour.
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
200ml chicken stock
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
150g dried apricots, halved
75g soft figs, quartered
1 tbsp honey
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat. Add the paprika and cinnamon to the oil and mix well.
Add the lamb to the pan, turning to brown all sides well.
Add the onion and garlic and cook with the meat until the onion begins to soften.
Add the stock, pepper and coriander to the pan and stir well. Reduce to a simmer and cover.
Put the fruit in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 20 minutes.
Drain the fruit and stir into the pan with the honey. Recover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Quinoa
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
50g dried apricots, chopped
150ml quinoa (I realise that quinoa is traditionally measured by weight, but like rice it absorbs liquid at about a 2:1 ratio, so volume is more useful)
300ml chicken stock
Rinse the quinoa in cold water.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan.
Add the spices, onion and apricot; stir together and sweat until the onion begins to soften.
Stir in the quinoa, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes, until the stock is absorbed and the quinoa become transparent.
The recipe would work just nicely with couscous, for a fraction of the price, but quinoa is gluten free, as well as being the miracle superfood of our age. If using couscous, the cooking time is much less than quinoa. I imagine you'd pretty much mix it with the spice and onion, then cover with the stock and leave for five minutes.
I've used my approximate amounts, which served two and a baby, but it would double up nicely for a party.
ETA: I did this again a week later, replacing the slightly fancy lamb leg steak with about 400g of shoulder (once I'd trimmed out the fat and bone and cubed the meat). I had to cook it for about another 20 minutes, but the result was wonderfully succulent. As an additional lesson, be careful in sourcing the dried fruit; if the figs are very sweet you might want to consider adding a little more of the sharper spices (mainly turmeric and cumin).
I also don't have a tagine, so I cooked this in a saucepan.
Tagine
250g lamb, diced
1/4 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Put the lamb, flour, turmeric, paprika and cinnamon into a bag and shake to coat the meat in the spiced flour, then shake off the excess flour.
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
200ml chicken stock
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
150g dried apricots, halved
75g soft figs, quartered
1 tbsp honey
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium-high heat. Add the paprika and cinnamon to the oil and mix well.
Add the lamb to the pan, turning to brown all sides well.
Add the onion and garlic and cook with the meat until the onion begins to soften.
Add the stock, pepper and coriander to the pan and stir well. Reduce to a simmer and cover.
Put the fruit in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 20 minutes.
Drain the fruit and stir into the pan with the honey. Recover and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Quinoa
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
50g dried apricots, chopped
150ml quinoa (I realise that quinoa is traditionally measured by weight, but like rice it absorbs liquid at about a 2:1 ratio, so volume is more useful)
300ml chicken stock
Rinse the quinoa in cold water.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan.
Add the spices, onion and apricot; stir together and sweat until the onion begins to soften.
Stir in the quinoa, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes, until the stock is absorbed and the quinoa become transparent.
