what prunes are for = AWESOME EASY MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE

(this recipe is adapted from claudia roden’s 1968 classic A Book of Middle Eastern Food) (warning: it takes abt three hours from start to finish, but you can do other things during almost all of this)

GET THIS:
1 x aztec marmite (or equiv)
1 x tiny frying pan (needn’t be tiny)

2 or even 3 lbs LAMB cut in cubes*
1 x tin prunes
1 or even 2 onions chopped up v.wee
honey to taste

dash of oil (easy to overdo)
saffron (half tsp)**
ground ginger (half tsp)
ground coriander (whole tsp)
ground cinnamon (2 x tsp)
salt and pepper

sesame seeds

DO THIS:
i. put everything in pot except prunes and honey and sesame seeds
ii. pour in water to just cover
iii. bring to boil
iv. turn down to simmer for TWO HOURS
v. meanwhile, destone prunes — you can use the juice for OTHER PURPOSES (!)
vi. cover surface of pan w.sesame seeds — turn heat on — WATCH till they go brownish (they contineu to brown a bit after you turn heat off so don’t go too far)
vi. after two hours is up, mix in prunes and simmer for 20 mins more
vii. after 20 mins is up, mix in honey (AT LEAST two tablespoons — i used five last night) and simmer for another 15 mins (or until eaters are gathered)***
viii. spinkle brown sesame seeds onto helpings and SERVE (will serve 2 or even 3 — more if you do it with rice or couscous)****

NOTES:
*recipe says use LEG but this is pricey: i use SCRAG END, now poncily sold as “NECK” but foolin no one
**the lid of my saffron container is hard to get off which means i ALWAYS have to spend five mins picking up individual bits of saffron as it is too expensive to throw away
***be sure to get the honey to dissolve by stirring vigorously as you put it in, or it will go straight to the bottom and CARBONISE
****ps there is another version of this using QUINCES!!

1. FT's Tim Hopkins on September 13th, 2006

   One of the editions of that Roden book has illustrations by Edward Bawden, which I’ve never seen. Unfortunately, I don’t know which edition(s) and don’t really fancy ordering multiple copies online.

   I bet this would get better if you doubled the quantity of ginger.

2. FT's pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør on September 13th, 2006

   re ginger: haha i already did double it!! CR sed “quarter tsp” which is the same as NO GINGER AT ALL as far as i’m concerned

3. FT's pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør on September 13th, 2006

   re bawden: my guess is the 1968 pre-penguin hardback

   (also: click through to the amazon link and enlarge the cover image — is that bawden?)

4. FT's Tim Hopkins on September 13th, 2006

   I think probably not, though it is hard to tell at that size (even enlarged). It’s not obviously his work.

5. FT's Tom on September 13th, 2006

   What happens to the sesame seeds after they have been used for pan decoration?

6. FT's pˆnk s lord sükråt cunctør on September 13th, 2006

   oops i shall AMEND and KORREKT

7. Tom on February 4th, 2007

   I am making this RIGHT NOW.

8. FT's Tom on February 5th, 2007

   It wuz delicious - and fits nicely into the set of “interesting but not too spicy things I can cook for unadventurous parents”.

9. FT's Sarah on February 5th, 2007

   I call it LAMB WITH JAM and recommend it wholeheartedly!