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№ 708 · Moroccan

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Almonds

Tempo

1h 10

Picante

Dificuldade

Médio

Rende

6porções

Ingredientes

Meat

1.2 kg

paleta de cordeiro (lamb shoulder), bone-in, cut into 4-5 large pieces (or 6-8 smaller)

Spice mix (la charmoula seca)

2 tbsp

ras el hanout (Mundo Verde, Casa Santa Luzia; or homemade — see below)

1 tsp

ground ginger

1 tsp

ground cinnamon

½ tsp

white pepper (or black if you can't find white)

¼ tsp

saffron threads, soaked in 2 tbsp warm water for 15 min

½ tsp

turmeric

1 tsp

salt

Braise

3 tbsp

olive oil + 1 tbsp butter

large onions, halved and sliced thin

garlic cloves, minced

stick cinnamon

250ml water or light chicken stock

small bunch coriander stems, tied with string (reserve leaves for garnish)

Sweet finish

250g pitted prunes (ameixas pretas)

2 tbsp

honey

1 tbsp

orange flower water (água de flor de laranjeira — Arab grocers, e.g., Empório Árabe in SP) *(or middle-path: 1 tsp orange zest + 1 tsp rosewater for floral lift; or skip — the dish is still very good without, just loses its signature North-African signature)*

½ tsp

ground cinnamon

100g whole blanched almonds

To serve

Couscous, or fresh khobz / pita / sourdough

Reserved coriander leaves, chopped

Sesame seeds, toasted

Modo de preparo

01**Spice the lamb.** In a bowl, mix ras el hanout, ginger, cinnamon, white pepper, turmeric, salt with the saffron-water. Add lamb pieces, rub the paste in well. Let sit 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).
02**Brown lightly.** Heat olive oil + butter in pressure cooker. Brown lamb in batches, **gently** — the spice paste burns more easily than plain meat. About 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
03**Sweat onions.** Add sliced onions to the spiced fat. Cook 8 minutes until softened and golden at edges. Add garlic and cinnamon stick, cook 1 minute.
04**Pressure cook.** Return lamb (and any juices) to pot. Add water/stock and the bunched coriander stems. Stir gently to combine. Lock lid, high pressure, **35 minutes**. Natural release.
05**Make the prune glaze (during pressure cook).** In a small saucepan: prunes + 200ml water + honey + orange flower water + ½ tsp cinnamon. Simmer gently 15 minutes until prunes plump and the liquid syrups. Set aside.
06**Toast almonds.** Dry-toast whole blanched almonds in a small skillet over medium heat 4-5 minutes, shaking, until golden and nutty. Tip onto a plate; they crisp as they cool.
07**Reduce the tagine sauce.** Open the cooker. Lift lamb out carefully (it's tender). Discard cinnamon stick and coriander stems. Set sauté mode and reduce the sauce uncovered for 8-10 minutes — the onions should melt into a thick, glossy sauce. Taste; the salt should already be balanced from step 1, but adjust if needed.
08**Combine.** Return lamb to the reduced sauce. Spoon the prunes and their syrup over the top. Heat through 2-3 minutes. **Do not stir hard** — keep the lamb pieces intact.
09**Plate.** Spoon onto warmed plates or a single platter. Scatter toasted almonds and chopped coriander. Sesame seeds optional.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Almonds

A mrouzia-style tagine — sweet, spice-rich, deeply savory. Lamb braised with onions, ras el hanout, saffron, then finished with honey-glazed prunes and toasted almonds. Traditionally a Eid al-Adha dish, made in a clay tagine over a brazier; the pressure cooker substitutes brilliantly.

Heat: 1/5. Aromatic warmth from cinnamon, ginger, white pepper. No chile.

Homemade ras el hanout (if you can't buy it)

Toast and grind: 1 tbsp coriander seed, 1 tbsp cumin seed, 6 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick broken, 6 cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 nutmeg grated, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp paprika doce, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp dried rose petals (optional but classic). Keeps in a jar 3 months.

Tame it

Already a 1/5 — the only adjustments worth making:

Skip white pepper if you find it too aromatic
Reduce ras el hanout to 1 tbsp for milder spice signature

Serving

With couscous (steamed plain, or with a knob of butter and toasted pine nuts) and a simple cucumber-and-mint salad. Mint tea after. A glass of off-dry rosé works.

Notes

Bone-in lamb. Spend the small effort to get it bone-in — the marrow enriches the sauce dramatically.
Don't skimp on saffron. A pinch of fake "açafrão" turmeric won't do; you want real saffron threads (small jar lasts ages).
Orange flower water is the secret. Without it the dish is good; with it it's transporting. Any Arab grocer carries it.
Make ahead: the lamb braise (steps 1-4) can be done a day ahead. Reheat gently, then do the prunes-and-almonds finish fresh.
Variations: apricots instead of prunes (lighter, brighter), or honey-quince in autumn.