Valentine's Lamb Tagine with Walnuts and Figs

 Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions
• 3 cloves garlic 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 800g chickpeas
• 300ml chicken stock
• 1 lemon - juice and zest 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoons honey
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 12 oz dried figs (about 1 1/2 cups), hard ends discarded
•  1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro or flat-leaf parsley 
• 2 teaspoons paprika ( but NOT for Nicholas!)

 

Preparation 

• In a 12-inch skillet, combine lamb, garlic, olive oil, onions, ginger, ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, tossing to combine.
• Add 2 cups water or chicken stock to tagine and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Add figs and honey to tagine and simmer, covered, 30 minutes longer, checking occasionally toward end of cooking time to be sure tagine is not dry, adding more water if necessary to keep meat from burning and sticking to pot. Tagine is done when lamb is very tender and most of liquid has evaporated.
• While tagine is simmering, in a small skillet, toast walnuts in melted butter over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until a shade darker and set aside.
• To serve, arrange tomato slices over lamb and top each with a fig. Sprinkle with walnuts and chopped cilantro or parsley.
   
  

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  First time we tried this recipe was: on February 14, 2014!