Tagine of Lamb with Preserved Lemon and Olives

Source

Author: Bob and Robin Young

Source: Oprah Web Site

Web Page: www.rockinrs.com, http://boisefoodieguild.blogspot.com

Degree of Difficulty

Degree of Difficulty: Moderately difficult

Oven Temperature: 450°F

Servings

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Ingredients

2

lbs

Boneless lamb shoulder

½

t

Salt

¼

t

fresh ground Pepper

2

T

Olive Oil

1

t

ground Cumin

1

t

ground Coriander

½

t

Tumeric

½

t

sweet Paprika

1

med

Onion, finely chopped

2

cloves

Garlic, minced

½

lbs

cracked or whole Green Olives, pitted

¼

c

Middle Eastern-style Preserved Lemon (about 1 lemon)

Fresh lemon juice to taste

½

c

chopped fresh Cilantro leaves

3

c

Couscous, to serve

Directions

1

One day ahead, trim excess fat from lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole, then add lamb and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, turmeric and paprika. Sauté 5 minutes over moderate heat (meat doesn't need to be browned). Add onion and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add 3 cups water, stir and bring to boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour, or until tender. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.

2

On the day of serving, Preheat oven to 450°F

3

Skim fat from top of stew. Using a slotted spoon, remove lamb chunks and place in a large ovenproof serving dish. Transfer lamb stew liquid to a saucepan and reserve. Bake meat 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned.

4

Meanwhile, blanch olives 1 minute in enough boiling water to cover them (this removes excess salt). Drain and add olives to stew liquid in saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes, then stir in preserved lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add fresh lemon juice, if using. Pour sauce over lamb, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with couscous.

Cooking Times

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours