Modern lamb tagine

Tagine is a cone-shaped cooking vessel from North Africa as well as the name of the stew that is cooked inside. Lamb is often cooked in tagine together with spices and vegetables. If you don’t have a tagine, you can cook this stew in a heavy pot such as Le Creuset.

Ras el hanout is the spice mix for lamb tagine. The organic French rase el hanout I am using is made of ground cumin, ginger, black pepper, fenugreek, mild red pepper, stare, clove, and cardamom. The spices can vary from one mix to another so if you cannot find rase el hanout in your shops you can make your own mix from scratch.

Lamb tagine is usually served over couscous but I have replaced it with chick peas and more vegetables. I have even included avocado strips for the presentation as inspired by a photo in a French magazine presenting new Parisian restaurants. This makes the stew healthier and more modern. The tagine is also cooked more quickly by using lamb leg instead the traditional lamb shoulder.

2 servings

2 slices of lamb leg, tranches de gigot, cut into chunks

2 tbsp. olive oil

1- 2 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced 

2 carrots

1 parsnip

1 avocado 

1 jar of chick peas, about 200 g net

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tsp. ras el hanout

½ tsp. Piment d’Espelette or other mild chilli powder

2 tbsp. raisins

2 tbsp. black olives

About 200- 250 ml chicken stock

Peel the parsnip and wash the carrots. Cut them lengthwise into thick strips and cook in water in a saucepan until soft. Drain, cover and keep warm until needed.

Warm the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy pot and brown the lamb chunks on all sides. Reduce the heat, add the shallots and garlic and continue sautéing for about 5 minutes. Add the spices, raisins, and chicken stock and stir. Add the drained chick peas and tomato paste. Stir and cover. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Just before serving, add the black olives.

Wash and peel the avocado. Cut into thick strips. For the presentation, divide the tagine on the middle of the plates into a kind of cone-shaped heap. Divide the carrot, parsnip, and avocado strips on the heap.