Spiced Pork & Apricot Tagine

Ingredients

• 700 g diced pork shoulder, cut into 3cm pieces
• 350 ml chicken stock
• Warm pitta bread, to serve
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• salt and black pepper
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 140 g dried apricots, halved
• 2 tsp ras el hanout
• 50 g toasted flaked almonds
• 15g fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to serve

Method

1. Season the pork chunks generously with salt and pepper. Mix the ras el hanout, cumin and cinnamon together, then toss the pork in the spice blend until every piece is coated.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, wide, heavy-based pot over a high heat. Brown the pork in two batches for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden. Lift out to a plate.
3. Add the last tablespoon of oil and drop the heat to medium. Cook the onions, stirring often, for 10–12 minutes until deeply golden and caramelised at the edges.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and red lentils, stir well, and let it bubble for 3–4 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
5. Return the pork and any resting juices to the pot and stir to coat in the base. Tuck in the apricots, pour over the stock and stir in the honey.
6. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over a low heat for 1 hour 10 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until the pork pulls apart easily and the sauce has reduced to a jammy, fragrant gravy. If it needs tightening, lift the lid for the final 15 minutes.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Scatter over the toasted almonds, coriander and torn mint, and finish with a drizzle of tahini.