The Soundtrack of Our Lives (Martin Hederos)

Lamb Tagine

Very based on a Dean and Deluca recipe but with some additions.

Ingredients

• approx. 1-3/4 lb. (800g) Lamb chopped in cubes (1.5in/3cm), cheap cuts works fine, bones left good!
• 1 Eggplant (aubergine) cut in kind of same size cubes
• 2 small or 1 big finely chopped onion
• 5 cloves finely chopped garlic
• approx. 1/2lb. (200 g) dried fruits (apricots, figs dates, apples works fine too) chopped in big pieces
• approx. 1/4lb. (100 g) big green olives in halves without pits
• 1 Tbs star anise
• 1 Tbs dried ginger
• 1 Tbs cumin
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 Tbs dried sweet pepper
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• water (enough to cover)
• Fresh cilantro (coriander) chopped
• lemon zest from a well washed lemon (try to find an organic one)

Instructions

1. Put all the spices (not the salt) in a dry pan and roast until it starts to smell nice.
2. Put them all in a mortar and grind them and blend them well with the salt.
3. Cover the meat in the spices, work it in well with your hands.
4. Heat a good amount of olive oil in a big oven-proof dish that has a lid, brown the meat on all sides.
5. Remove the meat from the hot pan and brown the eggplant. Put it aside with the meat once brown.
6. Lower the heat and fry the onions and garlic carefully, do not brown.
7. Cover with water, add cinnamon stick, and bring to boil, put on the lid and put in oven on 390F (200C).
8. Let it stay in the oven until tender, 1-2 hours depending on the texture of the meat.
9. Add the fruits and the olives. Roast for approx. 20 minutes without lid until golden on the top.
10. Sprinkle with cilantro and lemon zest and drizzle some honey over the whole thing.