This recipe originating from Northern Africa is absolutely delicious and frankly easy to make. You may even give it a personal touch by adding almonds, pine nuts, or a little bit of honey, as the ingredients and spices differ from one region to another.
Lamb pear and prune tajine
8 March 2021
: 6
: 30 min
: 50 min
: 1 hr 20 min
: Easy
You can prepare this dish early, it is excellent when re-heated.
Ingredients
- A generous lamb shoulder cut in pieces (roughly 1 kg of meat)
- 1TBS olive oil
- 2 onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- Juice of 2 oranges and zest of 1 organic orange
- 1 bunch of fresh coriander
- A bit of chili
- 4 to 5 ripe pears
- 150 g dried seeded prunes
- Thyme
- Salt and pepper
- A glass of water or more
- A tajine dish
- Optional: 50g peeled almonds, and/or 1 TBS of honey, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp raz el hanout spice, 2 pinches of saffron…
Directions
- Step 1 Pre-heat your oven to 210°. Fry the chunks of lamb shoulder in a large pot or in a frying pan with a little olive oil. Place the golden pieces of lamb in the tajine dish. Chop the onions and the garlic and place them in the pan that was used for frying the lamb. Add the orange juice and zest, the chili, the pepper and salt, the thyme, and a glass of water. Stir. Cover the golden lamb meat in the tajine dish with this mixture. If you do wish to add your personal touch, now is the time. With or without optional ingredients, your tajine will stew slowly and will be deliciously fragrant.
- Step 2 Place the tajine in the hot oven for 30 minutes. Then, add the peeled pears cut un large chunks as well as the dried prunes. Check the seasoning, add a little more water if you feel it is necessary, and lower the heat down to 180°. Bake for some 20 to 30 minutes more. Add the chopped coriander leaves when ready to eat and serve with semolina or steamed potatoes.
Good to know!
