Moroccan Lamb Tagine Slow Cooker Recipe

Simon Howie

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Slow Cooker Lamb and Apricot Tagine

The conical lid of Moroccan tagine (earthenware cooking dish) is designed to retain all the cooking steam, which helps cook meat to a mouth-watering tenderness. The slow cooker works exactly the same way.

If you haven't got a slow cooker, follow the same steps below, but cook the onion and garlic in a large saucepan and add the other ingredients to it. Bring to the boil, then cook gently for 2 hours until tender before adding the apricots for a further 30 minutes of cooking.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 6 hours 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Slow Cooker Lamb and Apricot Tagine

ingredients

675g (1Ib 8oz) Simon Howie diced lamb

2 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and ginger

1 tbsp clear honey

25g (1oz) butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 small cinnamon stick, broken

150g (5oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots

25g (1oz) blanched almonds, toasted

2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the slow cooker on 'High' setting to preheat for 20 minutes while you prepare the tagine.

2. Put the lamb in a bow and mix in the ground spices, salt and pepper, and honey.

3. Heat the butter with the oil in a large frying pan until bubbling and fry the garlic and onion for 5 minutes. Add the spiced lamb and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes until lightly browned all over.

4. Transfer all the pan contents to the slow cooker dish and add the cinnamon stick. Pour over 300ml (½ pt) hot water. Put the cooker lid securely on top, reduce the setting to 'Low' and cook for 5 hours.

5. Remove the lid and stir in the apricots. Re-cover with the lid and continue to cook for a further 1 hour. Discard the cinnamon stick.

6. To serve, ladle the lamb and apricots over freshly cooked cous cous, and sprinkle with almonds and freshly chopped coriander. Serve the tasty cooking juices separately as gravy.

Simon Howie

Slow Cooker Lamb and Apricot Tagine

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 6 hours 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Slow Cooker Lamb and Apricot Tagine

ingredients

675g (1Ib 8oz) Simon Howie diced lamb

2 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander and ginger

1 tbsp clear honey

25g (1oz) butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 small cinnamon stick, broken

150g (5oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots

25g (1oz) blanched almonds, toasted

2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the slow cooker on 'High' setting to preheat for 20 minutes while you prepare the tagine.

2. Put the lamb in a bow and mix in the ground spices, salt and pepper, and honey.

5. Remove the lid and stir in the apricots. Re-cover with the lid and continue to cook for a further 1 hour. Discard the cinnamon stick.

6. To serve, ladle the lamb and apricots over freshly cooked cous cous, and sprinkle with almonds and freshly chopped coriander. Serve the tasty cooking juices separately as gravy.