Honeyed Lamb Mrouzia Recipes

MROUZIA (HONEY LAMB TAGINE)

Steps:

• Mix together the ras el hanout, ginger, salt, pepper, saffron and water to form a paste. Rub the mixture all over the lamb shanks and place them in a dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, warm the oil and butter in a pot with a lid large enough to hold the lamb shanks relatively snugly. Add the finely diced onion and cook for a few minutes to soften.
• Add the lamb shanks to the pot along with the cinnamon stick then pour in the 3 cups/720ml water. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat and cover.
• Simmer the lamb shanks, turning occasionally as needed for around 2 hours or a little longer until pull-apart tender.
• As the lamb is cooking, cover the raisins with boiling water to re-hyrdrate them slightly. Once they swell up, drain and set aside. Also, warm the olive oil in a small skillet and fry the almonds for the topping for a couple minutes each side to gently brown. Remove from the oil and drain.
• Once the lamb is tender, add the honey and raisins. Stir to mix in. Cook, uncovered, over a medium-high heat for around 20 minutes to reduce the sauce before serving.
• Serve with couscous or bread on the side with the toasted almonds on top.

MROUZIA LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Working in batches if needed, add the lamb shanks and cook until browned on each side, about 15 minutes. (Make sure that the oil is very hot before adding the meat; you should hear a sizzle when the meat touches the pan, otherwise it isn't hot enough.) The meat will be released naturally from the pan once browned on one side, so don't be tempted to turn it beforehand. Transfer the browned lamb shanks to a dish and set aside until ready to use.
• Reduce the heat under the pot to medium, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the onion, garlic, ras el hanout, salt, cinnamon and saffron and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Return the lamb shanks to the pan, add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. (The meat of the shanks should be mostly covered, but not necessarily fully submerged in the stock.) Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked and fork tender, about 2 hours, depending on the size of your shanks. If it looks like there isn't enough liquid in the pan and the tagine is drying out at any point during the cooking process, add a couple tablespoons of water.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the almonds out on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden, giving them a good stir halfway through to make sure that they roast evenly. Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle, then grind using a food processor or crush with a rolling pin until coarsely ground. Set aside until ready to serve.
• Once the lamb shanks are fully cooked, remove them from the pan and set aside. Add the raisins and honey to the sauce and gently stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced to a syrup-like consistency and the raisins are plump.
• When the sauce is ready, return the lamb shanks to the pan to warm them through and coat them with the sauce. Garnish with almonds and serve immediately with fluffy couscous or crusty bread.

MOROCCAN LAMB TAGINE WITH RAISINS, ALMONDS, AND HONEY

Steps:

• Whisk together ras-el-hanout, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron, and 1 cup water in a 5-quart heavy pot. Stir in lamb, remaining 2 cups water, onion, garlic, cinnamon sticks, and butter and simmer, covered, until lamb is just tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Stir in raisins, almonds, honey, and ground cinnamon and simmer, covered, until meat is very tender, about 30 minutes more.
• Uncover pot and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until stew is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes more.

HONEYED LAMB (MROUZIA)

Steps:

• Crush the saffron with the remaining spices and a pinch of salt. Rub most of the mixture into the lamb.
• Mix the remaining spice mixture with the raisins, set aside.
• Put the lamb and remaining ingredients except honey, raisins and lemon juice, in a pan, bring to a boil then cover.
• Cook gently, stirring occasionally for 1 1 -14 until meat is almost tender. Add more water if meat seems to be sticking.
• Stir in raisins, honey and a good squeeze of lemon juice and cook, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
• The remaining liquid will be your sauce.
• Serve with pita and basmati rice.