This is a Middle Eastern-inspired dish with lots of Irish ingredients. The dates bring a mellow sweetness that counterbalances the gentle warmth and background heat.
Ingredients
- 600 g lamb stewing meat cubed
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakes
- 400 g canned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 250 g pitted dates halved
- 400 g passatta
- 250 ml chicken or vegetable broth
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
- Olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- Brown the Lamb: Heat up the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb cubes and brown them on all sides. This will add flavour to the stew. Once browned, using a slotted spoon transfer the lamb to the slow cooker. Leave any oil in the pan.
- Sauté the Aromatics: In the same pan, add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until they turn soft and translucent. Add a little oil if needed.
- Spice it up: Add the ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cayenne pepper to the softened onions and garlic. Stir for about a minute until the spices become fragrant.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer the spiced onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker with the lamb. Add the drained chickpeas, halved dates, passatta and lemon zest. Pour in the chicken stock—season with salt and pepper to taste. Give everything a good stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Cook in the Slow Cooker: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the lamb is tender and the flavours meld together.
- Serve: Once the lamb tagine is done cooking, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve the tagine hot, garnished with fresh coriander leaves on a bed of cous cous.
