Categories: Middle Eastern, lamb, not tried

Ingredients

• 2kg/4lbs 61/2oz lamb shanks, cut across into slices about 4cm/11/2in thick (you can ask your butcher to do this for you)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ----For the Spice Paste----
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
• Stalks from 20g/3/4oz packet fresh coriander, leaves reserved
• 1 tsp freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• ----For the Tagine----
• 4 tsp ras el hanout
• 450g/1 lb carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 7.5cm (3in) pieces
• 200g/7oz onions, sliced
• 8 x 50g/13/4oz waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte, peeled and left whole
• 400g/14oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces the same size as the potatoes
• 450g/1 lb vine-ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 75g/21/2oz dried apricots, (no need to soak)
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 1.2litres/2pints 2fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• ----For the Buttered Couscous----
• 450g/1 lb couscous
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 450ml/16fl oz boiling water
• 25g/1oz butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Trim the lamb of any excess fat and then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. For the spice paste, put all the ingredients into a mini-food processor or use a mortar and pestle, and grind to a smooth paste.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the lamb pieces and brown on both sides. Lift onto a plate and set aside.

4. Add the spice paste to the remaining oil left in the casserole and fry gently for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the ras el hanout and fry for a further minute.

6. Add the carrots, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, apricots and turn over a few times in the spice mixture.

7. Return the lamb to the pan and add the honey and enough stock to not quite cover the meat.

8. Add the bay leaves and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer gently, uncovered, for 1½-2 hours, turning the pieces of meat every now and then as the liquid reduces, until the lamb is tender.

9. Ten minutes before the tagine is cooked, put the couscous and salt into a large bowl and stir in the boiling water.

10. Cover with a tea towel and leave to soak for five minutes. Then uncover and fluff up into separate grains with a fork.

11. Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan, add the couscous and stir over a low heat for a couple of minutes until heated through.

12. Skim the excess oil from the top of the stew.

13. Chop the remaining coriander leaves, scatter over the top, and serve at the table from the casserole, with the couscous.

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