What's for Dinner? Moroccan Lamb Tagine!

For Christmas, my awesome Sisters-in-Law got me a Moroccan tagine.  The word tagine is used to describe a Middle Eastern dish of slowly simmered meat and/or vegetables but it also is the word for the earthenware vessel they use to cook it in.  My SILs know that I love to cook and that I have ALMOST every cooking utensil/vessel I need...BUT they did their homework and discovered I did not, in fact, have a tagine!  Well, thanks to them, I have ventured into the world of Middle Eastern cooking for the first time...and so glad I did!  First off, you do not need a tagine to make a tagine!  Any heavy Dutch oven or pot with a tight fitting lid will do.  Secondly, this type of cooking uses A LOT of different spices.  Lucky for me and my days working for Whole Foods, I have tons of (free) spices, so we have them all.  If you don't have all these spices (and I'm fairly positive 99% of the country would not), just kind of use what you have.  The spices that seem standard for tagines across the board (that most people may have) are cinnamon, ground ginger, paprika, cayenne, turmeric and saffron).  Don't go overboard on the cinnamon.  This is supposed to be a savory dish with a hint of sweetness.   Most of the recipes call for some sort of fruit: i.e. dates, prunes, raisins, apricots, etc.  Now, I am not a fan of the fruit and meat combo thing (as many of you know by now)...but I actually would have tried it this time, had I not had all the other ingredients in my house already.  So next time I will.  But if you want to throw in any of these ingredients, by all means, do it!  I hope you try this one...it is something different that is really tasty!  Enjoy!

Moroccan Lamb Tagine
Serves 4
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• 1+ lbs of lamb loin, cut into bite-sized chunks (lamb loin can be expensive, so if you want, you can use any stew cut, it will just need to cook longer to achieve ultimate tenderness)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP butter or ghee
• 3 large carrots, cut into small rounds
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
• 1, 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 preserved lemon, cut in small wedges (if you can find preserved in the store, use fresh)
• parsley or cilantro, to garnish
• couscous

In a Ziploc baggie, add all spices (paprika through coriander and mix well.  Toss lamb meat with olive oil and add to bag.  Seal and mix, making sure all the lamb is coated with the spice mixture.  Refrigerate (the longer the better, but if you don't have long, that's ok!).

In tagine or pot over medium high heat, heat butter.  Add lamb and brown on all sides.  Remove from pot with spoon and reserve.  Add onion and carrot and cook for 5-8 minutes until they begin to soften.  Add garlic and ginger and cook for a few more minutes.  Add back lamb and chickpeas and stir.  Add in broth (the broth should just barely cover meat mixture (add more broth or water if it doesn't).  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  After 45 minutes, add in lemons.  Continue cooking until meat is very tender and stew is of a good consistency (again you will need longer if not using lamb loin...lamb loin will take about an hour or a little over).  Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve over couscous and enjoy!