LAMB TAGINE WITH FIGS AND ALMONDS
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 750g diced lamb
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2.5cm fresh root ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 300ml lamb stock (or you could use chicken or vegetable)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 75g dried figs, stalks removed and diced
- 40g flaked almonds
I have a slow cooker that lets me fry things so I can do everything in the slow cooker. If you can’t do that with yours then use a frying pan and just transfer over at the right time.
Heat the oil and add the lamb. Fry until the meat is browned. If you are doing this in a frying pan, then you could pour these into a heating slow cooker and do the vegetables and spices on their own. Add the onion and fry until it’s softened, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger – enjoy the smell rising up! Add in the flour and mix it around well. Gradually stir in the stock, make sure you get rid of any lumps of flour. Add the cinnamon and figs. The original recipe suggests two large pinches of saffron threads, but I never have that in my cupboard and I don’t know that we miss it. Perhaps I should buy some and see?! Add salt and pepper, tip everything into the slow cooker (if you have been using a frying pan) and put the lid on.
Cook for when you need it to be ready. I only had four hours yesterday and the lamb was beautiful.
Serve with cous cous or crusty bread, and green vegetables of your choice.
Serves 4 adults.
I should start calling Tuesday, ‘Slow Cooker Tuesday’. The children have swimming lessons after school on Tuesday and we don’t get in until 6pm. It’s dark, cold and generally wet so having the main part of the meal cooked and ready to go is so wonderful. It’s what makes swimming bearable (worst part of my week!).
We get in. Children are sent off to watch television for half an hour whilst I load up the washing machine, get some vegetables on and set the table. I’ve tried to get them involved in dealing with the swim stuff and help set the table etc, but honestly it’s just not worth it. Too tired, too hungry to get along with it. I’m talking about me!
Cous cous is so quick to make and my children like it the plainer the better (I did it with lemon and olive oil last night – total fail). Equally a crusty cob loaf would be lovely to literally mop up the tagine into your mouth – a little like the Moroccans would! The “stew” itself doesn’t have many vegetables in it so I add some green vegetables on the side. Plus, when I am not having carbohydrate with a meal then I want more than just meat!
This is such a yummy recipe. Again taken from ‘The Complete Slow Cooker’ recipe book. It doesn’t have exotic ingredients, which means you will probably already have a lot of them and the children aren’t blown away with spices. A perfect mid-week dinner for a Winter evening.
the things on my plate 