Lamb Tagine with Apricots, Figs, and Chickpeas

I sampled my first tagine years ago in Paris at a dimly lit Moroccan restaurant called Le Souk. Seated on pillows around low-lying tables, we dished fragrant stews from cone-shaped earthenware dishes (also called tagines) onto mounds of fluffy couscous. The seductive blend of spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cumin, cardamom) and the unique blend of flavors (duck with fig, lamb with almonds and apricot, chicken with preserved lemon and green olives) were a revelation to my Westernized palate. I immediately wanted to recreate these sensual stews at home, and thus began a series of trial tagines and subsequently festive dinner parties.

I've since learned a few things about tagine-making and it turns out they might just be the perfect dinner party food. Why? One, they actually taste better a day or two after you make them, so you can make the whole thing in advance. Two, they feed a crowd--the recipe below easily feeds 6 (with leftovers) and doubled feeds 12. Three, they're cheap to make--one recipe costs about $20, or around $3.30 per person. As a rule, tagines combine cheaper cuts of meat (such as lamb shoulder or chicken thighs) with spices, nuts, and dried fruits, slowly cooking the mixture until the meat becomes fork-tender and a rich, aromatic sauce develops. Bright herb garnishes like fresh mint and cilantro add a dash of color and awaken the palate.

Just before the party, reheat the tagine, make couscous (5 minutes) and a simple arugula salad with perhaps some red onion, oranges, and feta (10 minutes) and voila--recession dining at its finest!


LAMB TAGINE WITH APRICOTS, FIGS, AND CHICKPEAS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder (or lamb stew meat), cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Salt, pepper
1 onion, chopped *
1 large carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice **
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can chicken stock
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup dried figs, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Serves 6

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and add to the Dutch oven. Brown the lamb on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Remove the lamb to a bowl; add the onion, carrot, celery and spices. Sauté the mixture until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and add the lamb back into the Dutch oven. Season with salt.

Simmer the mixture for an hour, stirring occasionally, adding a bit of water if the mixture becomes too dry.

Add the chickpeas, apricots, and figs and continue simmering for another hour, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender. Add water as needed--you want plenty of the fragrant sauce!

Taste the mixture and season with salt and a little pepper. Stir in the chopped mint before serving and garnish with additional mint if desired.

If serving the next day, let cool on the stovetop, then place in a tightly-sealed container and refrigerate until serving. Reheat gently in the Dutch oven over medium heat, adding water as needed and garnish with fresh mint.

Serve with couscous and a tossed salad, or steamed green beans with lemon and olive oil.

* To save time, I used Trader Joe's pre-chopped onion/carrot/celery blend. It's also cheaper ($2.99) because you have no waste. Just dump the whole container in the pot.
** I used pumpkin pie spice because it was what I had in my cupboard when I was making this. If you have nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice, you can substitute the pumpkin pie spice with 1/2 teaspoon of each. You can also add some turmeric if you have any on hand.

WINE SUGGESTION: A complex stew like this demands a medium-bodied red with nice acidity that can complement the earthiness of the lamb and balance the sweetness of the dried fruit without getting overwhelmed by the spices. The 2007 Le Petit Scarabée, a nice, earthy Grenache-Cinsault blend from Provence, is an ideal choice that will only set you back $11.