Lamb Tagine With Preserved Lemons And Green Olives Morrocan Recipes

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb. boneless lamb shoulder

Sea salt, table salt, and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

1 medium onion

2 clove garlic

1/2 lb. cracked or whole green olives

1/4 c. chopped Middle Eastern-style Preserved Lemons

Fresh lemon juice (optional)

1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves

3 c. cooked couscous

Preparation

Step 1One day ahead, trim excess fat from lamb. Season meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole, then add lamb and sprinkle with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and paprika. Sauté 5 minutes over moderate heat (meat doesn’t need to be browned). Add onion and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add 3 cups water, stir, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Let cool and refrigerate overnight.Step 2On the day of serving, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Skim fat from top of stew. Using a slotted spoon, remove lamb chunks and place in a large, ovenproof serving dish. Transfer lamb stew liquid to a saucepan and reserve. Bake meat 15 to 20 minutes, or until browned.Step 3Meanwhile, blanch olives 1 minute in enough boiling water to cover them (this removes excess salt). Drain and add olives to stew liquid in saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes, then stir in Preserved Lemons. Season to taste with table salt and pepper. Add fresh lemon juice, if using. Pour sauce over lamb, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with couscous.