Moroccan Lamb with Dates & Almonds

Ingredients

• 700 g diced lamb shoulder, cut into 3–4cm pieces
• 300 ml lamb or chicken stock
• Warm pitta bread, to serve
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground ginger
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 120 g Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• 60 g blanched almonds, toasted in a dry pan until golden
• 2 tsp ras el hanout
• 15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to serve

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, deep casserole or tagine pot over a high heat. Season the lamb generously with salt and pepper, then brown in two or three batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until each piece has a deep mahogany crust — don't crowd the pan or it will steam. Remove to a plate.
2. Reduce to a medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and cook the diced onions for 8–10 minutes until golden, soft, and starting to catch at the edges. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Stir in the ras el hanout, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger. Cook for 90 seconds, pressing the spices into the onions until the kitchen fills with that warm, deeply aromatic Moroccan smell.
4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stir, scraping up any caramelised bits from the base. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the tomatoes have darkened and reduced slightly.
5. Return the lamb to the pot with any collected juices. Pour over the stock, then tuck in the chopped dates. Stir gently, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to very low.
6. Cover the pot and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes, stirring every 25 minutes, until the lamb is tender enough to pull apart with two forks and the sauce is glossy and thick. If it looks too liquid, uncover and simmer for a final 10 minutes to concentrate.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Scatter over the toasted flaked almonds and fresh coriander, then finish with a drizzle of tahini and torn mint just before bringing to the table with couscous or warm flatbreads. To batch: cool fully and freeze in portions for up to 3 months.