Lamb tagine with plums and almonds
- Energy Kcal 813
- Carbohydrates g 79.8
- of which sugars g 55.3
- Protein g 65.2
- Fats g 25.9
- of which saturated fat g 7.04
- Fiber g 14.2
- Cholesterol mg 216
- Sodium mg 396
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 40 min
- Cook time: 1 h 25 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: High
- Note more the soaking time of the plums (about an hour)
PRESENTATION
Bright flavors and deep aroma fill the kitchen any time lamb tagine with plums and almonds appears on the table. Subtle saffron, cinnamon, and dried fruit come together around soft, tender lamb while the tagine with plums brings out that classic Moroccan blend of sweet and savory families often crave. Beautiful on the plate thanks to golden almonds and rich, dark plums—you get a pretty dish with lots of color that just looks special. This is one of those Moroccan recipes that’s always welcomed at celebrations or big family meals… everyone tends to remember the delicious smell and even better flavor. Each bite feels like a little taste of Morocco’s kitchen, with those familiar tagine spices giving a truly satisfying experience, especially shared around a busy dinner table.
People who love easy lamb recipes get drawn in by how reliable this dish is for holiday dinners and weekend get-togethers—a crowd-pleaser with so much nice texture and comforting warm flavors. It’s easy to serve right out of the traditional tagine or over classic fluffy couscous (kids usually dig the sweet sauce too). Plums and honey bring A LOT of flavor, while the crunch of toasted almonds is just the kind of contrast that makes family-style eating really GOOD… it’s fun letting people scoop out servings themselves. Because this dinner is so pretty and packed with flavor, it’s often the dish friends talk about after—a favorite for both special occasions or just whenever you want something different. Brighten things up with a little fresh mint or parsley on top and you’ve got everything a family wants: hearty, interesting, moist, and full of that unmistakable Moroccan tagine feeling. Regular folks choose this lamb tagine because it almost always means everyone leaves the table happy and satisfied.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the broth
- Water 6 ½ cups (1.5 l)
- Carrots 2
- Yellow onions 1
- Celery 1 rib
- Coriander 1 bunch
- Fine salt to taste
- For the tagine
- Leg of lamb 1.8 lbs (800 g)
- Dried prunes 1 ½ cup (250 g)
- Peeled almonds 2.5 oz (70 g)
- Cinnamon sticks 1
- Saffron 1 bag
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Fresh ginger (30 g)
- Powdered turmeric 2 tsp (5 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp (15 g)
- Wildflower honey 2 tbsp (40 g)
- Yellow onions 7 oz (200 g)
- Orange juice 0.4 cup (100 ml)
- Black pepper to taste
- For the aromatic couscous
- Couscous 1.6 cups (280 g) - precooked
- Butter 1.4 tbsp (20 g) - + 1 knob for greasing
- Green Peperoncino 1 pinch
- Cardamon ¼ tsp (1 g) - in powder
- Star anise 1
- Fennel seeds ½ tsp (2 g)
- Cumin ½ tsp (1 g)
- Cinnamon sticks 1
- Lemon peel 1
- Mint a few - little leaf
- Parsley 1 bunch
How to prepare Lamb tagine with plums and almonds
To prepare the lamb tagine with plums and almonds with aromatic couscous, start with the vegetable broth: fill a large pot with water, salt it, and bring it to a boil, then peel the carrots with a vegetable peeler and cut them into pieces 1. Continue by peeling the celery stalk and cutting it into pieces 2. Then peel an onion 3 and cut it into quarters.
Rinse a bunch of fresh coriander under running water, place it on a cutting board and chop it 4, alternatively, you can also use dried coriander. At this point, add the chopped vegetables and fresh coriander to the boiling water 5 and let it cook on low heat for at least 20-30 minutes 6. Let the broth simmer, allowing the vegetables to cook slowly and release their flavor.
Meanwhile, squeeze the oranges 7 and pour the juice over the plums for the lamb tagine 8. Let the plums marinate for about 1 hour, allowing them to rehydrate. The orange juice gives the plums a pleasant tang, but you can also use apple juice or berry juice, as long as it is pulp-free and pairs well with the flavor of the plums. Now focus on cutting the lamb meat: place the lamb leg on a cutting board and remove the fatty parts using a sharp knife 9.
Then divide the leg in half 10 and, still using the knife, carve the meat around the bone 11, until it is completely removed 12.
Cut the lamb meat 13 into regular cubes of about 3/4 inch 14 so that the cooking is more uniform. Then peel an onion and chop it along with the two peeled garlic cloves 15.
Take the tagine, the typical North African terracotta pot, place it on the stove, pour in a drizzle of oil, and let the onion and garlic mixture turn golden 16. After 2 minutes, add the lamb cubes 17 and let them brown, stirring with a spoon. Add a cinnamon stick 18.
Add the saffron 19, turmeric 20, and finally grate the fresh ginger 21. Mix well and let everything sauté for 5 minutes with the tagine lid on.
After this time, salt and pepper to taste and pour two ladles of broth 22, which will be ready by now, until the spiced meat is completely covered 23. Cover the tagine with its conical lid 34 and let it cook for about an hour on very low heat.
In the meantime, focus on the couscous: start by toasting the dried spice mix. In a non-stick pan, pour the star anise and a cinnamon stick, add the cardamom powder 25, fennel seeds 26, and cumin 27.
Finally add the chili powder 28 and toast over high heat for about 2 minutes, just enough time for the spices to release their aromas 29. Then let the spice mix cool and transfer it to a mixer, blend for a few seconds 30 and set aside.
Now prepare the fresh spice mince: rinse the fresh parsley under running water and chop it finely 31, do the same with the mint leaves, wash and chop them 32. Then butter a large, high-sided pot and pour in the pre-cooked couscous 33, spreading it out so it doesn't overlap too much.
Gradually add about 1 1/4 cups of broth 34, stirring with a fork. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes, until it swells 35. After this time, add 1 1/2 tbsps of butter and fluff the couscous with the tines of a fork 36.
Pour in the ground spice mix 37, the chopped parsley, and mint (38-39).
Grate the zest of a lemon 40 and mix well to combine everything. Let the couscous rest covered until the tagine is ready to be served. Now drain the plums from the orange juice using a colander 41 and add them to the lamb 42.
Add the wildflower honey 43, which enhances the sweet and sour note, and let it cook for another 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can substitute the honey with brown sugar. Meanwhile, place the whole peeled almonds on a cutting board and slice them into slivers 44, then transfer the almond slivers to a non-stick pan 45 and toast them over moderate heat until they are golden, being careful not to burn them.
At this point, add the almonds to the lamb, plums, and spice mixture 46 and stir to combine everything 47. All that remains is to immediately serve the lamb tagine with plums and almonds accompanied by the aromatic couscous 48!