Lamb Tagine

Each day I visit lots of blogs and websites of foodies, food critics and chefs on Twitter. Not only I enjoy reading their recipes but although the stories (introducing the recipes) and looking at the photos. Some stories are beautifully written and some photos awesome. They inspire me and make me reflect on my own blog!

Some recipes are attractive but their ingredients are not always to my liking are /or I find the preparation too complex. I love reading them but know that I will not try them (at least for the time being).

But other recipes catch my attention. I like everything (ingredients and method) and know that I will try them… one day. I immediately jot down the names of the blog and the dish for future use.  Believe me I now have a long list of “recipes to do”! 

On the same post Eda gave another recipe: Braised Goat Shank Tagine. I had never made a tagine before and the following week-end I made it.  I did it but with a few changes: I used lamb instead of goat and morels and king oyster mushrooms instead of black trumpets. The sauce was delicious and the smell of fennel and spices was a delight.

I love this recipe so much that I want to share it with you. The distinctive flavours of cumin, turmeric and cardamom combined with the hearty taste of lamb make this dish unique. I now have added these Middle-eastern spices in my kitchen and use them in other vegetable and meat stews.

Lamb Shank w/ Mixed Mushrooms and Fennel

Lamb shank tagine w/ mixed mushrooms & fennel

Qty for 4 persons – 2 persons if main dish

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb lamb shank
• Salt & ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 onion (sliced) – reserve ½
• 1 fennel bulb (sliced) reserve ½ (about 400g)
• 1 pinch of saffron
• 1 tsp cumin, toasted
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp cardamom seeds, toasted
• 1 tsp clove, toasted
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup canned tomato (~200g or ½ can)
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 150-200g mushrooms (I mixed dried morels + 1 fresh king oyster mushroom)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 pickled lemon (in brine), finely chopped

Steps:

1. Mix salt, ground black pepper, cumin, saffron and turmeric together. Coat the meat with this spice blend. Set aside in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven at 375°F (190°C / no.5) for 15 min.
3. Put oil in saucepan and brown the meat on both sides. Remove from the pan.
4. Brown ½ of the onion and ½ of the fennel for 10 minutes; add garlic and brown. Add tomato, cardamom and cloves and bring to a boil.
5. Add the lamb shank, then water and bake in the oven uncovered for 1 ¼  hour.
6. Add the remaining onion & fennel, pickled lemon, mushrooms and honey.
7. Cover and cook for another 1 hour, mixing occasionally.

I served the lamb tagine with steamed couscous. It was so yummy!

Note: I suggest putting the cloves and cardamom seeds in a tea infuser {easy to discard}.

The lamb is cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened

... delicious sauce!!!


Thanks Eda for sharing such good recipes!



But there is also another type of posts and recipes which really makes me want to try the dish immediately. This is what happened when I read Eda's post.  I was first drawn to Ancho Pancetta Oxtail Mole Sauce. I love ox tail and could not resist the idea of eating a sauce made with chocolate and chilli. A few days later I did it and was not disappointed at all! You should try it! Here is the recipe.