Lamb, preserved lemon and olive tagine

BBC Food

Lamb, preserved lemon and olive tagine

Prepare

30 minutes

Cook

120 minutes

Serve

4 servings

Description

A lighter and softer take on the classic lamb tagine, which I particularly love. I first tried it at Chez Lamine, an absolute gem of a restaurant in Marrakech. Fragrant with saffron, turmeric, ginger and preserved lemon – this is my best estimation of how they make it.

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Ingredients

  • 1kg/2lb 4oz lamb shoulder, deboned, meat chopped into large pieces (keep the bone if you have one)
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 6–8 garlic cloves, smashed and skins removed
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ¾ tsp turmeric
  • generous pinch of saffron, infused in a cup of boiling water (see recipe tips)
  • 300ml/10½fl oz lamb or chicken stock (water is also fine)
  • 3 preserved beldi lemons, cut in half, flesh spooned out and discarded, skins chopped into chunky pieces
  • 150g/5½oz pitted green olives (drained weight)

Method

  1. First prepare the lamb. Fat is crucial here for the slow cooking, but remove any excessively large chunks of solid fat. Season the lamb generously with salt and leave for 30 minutes for it to absorb into the meat. Melt the ghee in a heavy based pan with a lid and then brown the lamb until golden.
  2. When the lamb is caramelised, add the onion, turn down the heat and cook until softened. Add the garlic, spices and saffron. Add in half of the preserved lemon skin (the rest goes in later).
  3. Pour over the stock or water, you’re looking for the lamb to be half submerged (like alligators floating in a swamp, as Fergus Henderson would say). If you have any bones from your lamb, add them to the pan now.
  4. Cover with a sheet of baking paper, pressing it into the liquid to create a seal, then add the pan lid and cook on the lowest simmer possible for around 2 hours or until the lamb is tender.
  5. Remove the lid, add the olives (make sure to rinse off the brine) and the remaining preserved lemon. Cook for a further 20–30 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. It should be fatty, glistening and coat the lamb wonderfully. Make sure you taste! Adding more salt if needed.
  6. Serve with flatbreads or cous cous.