Tagines - Meat, Veg, Fish

Moroccan lamb tagine with prunes
Serves 4

•  2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 bulb of fennel, chopped
• 800g lean leg of lamb, diced or I use leg steaks and cook them whole, dividing them into smaller pieces and taking out the bone later 
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 12 prunes, soaked in warm water if needed, the Agen prunes here are so juicy it’s not necessary
• 4 tbsp clear honey, chestnut honey is good

You can cook this on the top of the oven in a large casserole or put in a tagine and cook in the oven on a slow heat.

1. Cook the onions and fennel in the olive oil so that they soften
2. Add all the spices and cook for a further 2 minutes
3. Add the diced lamb or lamb steaks and cook until they are coloured on all sides
4. Pour enough water over the meat to cover.
5. Add the prunes and honey
6. Cover and turn the heat down and allow the meat to simmer for about 2 hours until it is tender.
7. If you want to thicken the sauce take the lid off the pan or tagine for the last 40 minutes or so and let the liquid reduce to the consistency you want.

Serve with couscous, either buying the spicy kind or stir freshly chopped herbs in.

Vegetable Tagine
 Serves 4 – 6
 Alter the vegetables to suit what is available

•  3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion cut into chunks
• 2 carrots cut in thick slices
• 1 sweet potato cut into chunks
• 8 small new potatoes – halved
• 1 green pepper - sliced
• 1 red pepper - sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb - sliced thickly
• 1 inch cube of fresh ginger – grated
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tin chick peas
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 800ml  of vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp raisins
• Salt and ground black pepper
• Rind and juice of 1 lemon

 In a casserole or large tagine heat the oil and fry the vegetables for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

1. Add the ginger and spices, stir well and cook for 2 minutes.  Pour in the chick peas, tomatoes stock and raisins and add seasoning.
2. Bring to the boil then turn down and simmer or put the tagine in the oven ,  about 160˚.  Cook for about 1 hr – check the chick peas are soft but don’t leave it so long that the vegetables become mushy! Add the lemon juice and rind before serving.

​Serve with spicy couscous or plain couscous with fresh herbs stirred through.
Fish Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemon
Serves 4

• Olive oil for frying
• ​4 x 150g firm white fish fillets
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
• 1 onion halved and sliced top to bottom
• 1 small fennel bulb - sliced thinly
  
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ​½ tsp sweet paprika

• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup of water
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 cup of stoned green olives
• ½ cup of flat leafed parsley, roughly chopped
• ½ cup of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
• 4 wedges of preserved lemons, thinly sliced
• Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Heat a heavy based pan and add a little olive oil.  Lightly fry the onion and fennel until soft then add the ginger, garlic and lemon rind.  Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli powder. Stir well until aromatic and then add a little water just to loosen up the bottom of the pan.
3. Squeeze in the lemon and add the tomatoes, honey, cinnamon stick and the rest of the water.  Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
4. Season well with salt and pepper, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary
5. Scatter over the olives, parsley and coriander and allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
6. ​Lay the fish fillets in the pan, spoon some of the sauce over the fish, and place the lid on top.  Cook the fish on a low simmer for 10-15 mins or until the fish is cooked.

Serve with couscous.