Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Cooking in a tagine (a conical ceramic cooking vessel) makes meat succulent, tender, and flavorful and is evocative of Morocco. It’s a great way to cook lamb shoulder, a very reasonably priced cut that needs to cook for a long time in order to become tender. If you are entertaining, why not make a whole Moroccan feast around this main dish? We serve it with Two-Grain Saffron Couscous (here), the Moroccan Chickpeas and the Date Relish from our Moroccan Mezze (here), and Moroccan Carrot Slaw (here). Don’t worry if you haven’t got a proper tagine. Any heavy casserole with a tight-fitting lid will do. As the lamb cooks, the aromas will summon everyone into your kitchen. This dish can be easily doubled.

SERVES 4 TO 5

2½ pounds boneless lamb shoulder, well trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Large pinch saffron threads

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1 garlic clove, finely chopped (about 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger

1½ cups beef or chicken stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste or sun-dried tomato paste

1 (2-inch) piece cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

12 shallots, peeled

Kosher salt

1 cup small pitted prunes

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the lamb with the coriander, ground ginger, and saffron, and toss. Refrigerate at least 4 to 8 hours or overnight.

In a large heavy casserole or tagine, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large plate or bowl and set aside.

In the same pot, combine the onion, garlic, and fresh ginger and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Return the meat to the pot. Add the stock, tomato paste, cinnamon, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the meat is fork-tender, about 1½ hours. Stir the meat occasionally as it cooks, pushing the cinnamon stick under it each time you do.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a small baking dish, toss the shallots with the 1 teaspoon olive oil and salt to taste. Roast until glazed and fork-tender, about 45 minutes.

After simmering the stew for 1½ hours, add the prunes to the casserole and continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. Add the shallots and honey and simmer for 10 minutes, until meat is very tender. Stir in the lemon juice, cilantro, and parsley. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.