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Apricot lamb tagine served in a Moroccan platter.
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Apricot Lamb Tagine With Olives

Apricot Lamb Tagine is a traditional Moroccan dish that gets its vibrant flavor from warm spices, sweet apricots and tender fall apart braised lamb. Tagines are fun to make and full of exotic flavors.
Course Main Course Lamb
Cuisine Moroccan
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Soaking and marinating 1 day
Servings 6
Calories 290kcal
Author Lea Ann Brown

Equipment

  • Tagine

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried chickpeas
  • 2 cups water
  • SPICES FOR THE LAMB
  • 1 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder cut into 6 - 8 chunks, about 2 inches
  • 2 Tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1-2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • INGREDIENTS FOR TAGINE
  • 6 dried apricots or fresh apricots
  • 1 medium onion cut into wedges
  • 5 saffron threads
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoons corn starch
  • 4 cardamom pods wrapped in cheese cloth
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup green olives

Instructions

  • Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in just enough water to cover. The next morning, drain the chickpeas, add new water and in a saucepan, simmer them stovetop for 2 hours. Drain the chickpeas and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
  • Mix together all of the Moroccon spices (cinnamon, coriander, ginger, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper) in a small bowl.
  • Cut the lamb shoulder into 6 - 8 chunks about 2 inches.
  • Put the lamb into a large mixing bowl and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Using a large spoon, stir the olive oil and lamb together to coat the lamb.
  • Sprinkle the spices over the lamb and stir again to combine well.
  • Marinate the lamb in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  • DIRECTIONS FOR THE LAMB TAGINE
  • Heat the tagine pot over medium high heat until hot. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the tagine. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the onion wedges and lamb pieces to the hot oil. Salt and pepper the onions and lamb.
  • Cook until lamb is starting to brown and onions are starting to soften. About 10 - 15 minutes. Stirring often so they don't stick to the bottom of the tagine.
  • While onions and meat are cooking, whisk together the vegetable stock, tomato paste and cornstarch in a separate bowl.
  • Pour the broth mixture into the tagine pot, and add in the saffron threads.
  • Wrap cardamon pods in cheesecloth and add them to the pot.
  • Add apricots (pitted and halved if using fresh apricots), olives, parsley, and raisins on top of the lamb and onions. Add the cooked chickpeas.
  • Place the lid on the tagine pot and allow the ingredients to slowly simmer for about an hour and a half. Or until lamb is fall apart tender. Remove cardamon pods and serve.
  • Serve the lamb over pearl couscous.

Notes

Use either dried apricots or fresh apricots for this recipe. If using fresh, cut them in half and remove the pit. The fresh apricots will "melt" as they cook and become part of the gravy. Dried apricots will stay solid and become part of the lamb/onion mixture.
If you don't own a tagine pot, a Dutch oven will work fine for this recipe.
This stew will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4 - 5 days. It will also keep for up to three months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 918mg | Potassium: 634mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 648IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg