Lamb Tagine with Prunes Recipe

The combination of savory lamb, honeyed prunes, and toasted almonds is what makes this Moroccan tagine especially memorable. The prunes become tender and glossy as they simmer, but they don’t disappear into the sauce; each one keeps a pleasantly jammy center that balances the richness of the meat. Cinnamon and saffron give the dish its distinctive warmth, while grated ginger adds a fresh, lightly peppery edge. It’s a deeply flavored dinner from a fairly short ingredient list, and the sauce is every bit as important as the lamb. I like to brown the 1½ pounds of lamb in batches before adding the diced onion. Crowding the pot causes the meat to steam, so give the pieces enough room to develop a proper brown crust. Once the onion softens, stir in the ginger, cinnamon, and saffron, then return the lamb to the pot with enough water or stock to come partway up the meat. Keep the simmer gentle for the full two hours; a vigorous boil can make the lamb tough and leave the sauce thin rather than silky. Add the pitted prunes during the final 30 minutes, along with the honey, so they soften without breaking down completely. If they go in too early, they can dissolve into the sauce and make it overly sweet. I also taste before adding any salt at the end, since the sweetness of the prunes and honey becomes more pronounced as the liquid reduces. If the sauce still seems loose, uncover the pot for the last 10 to 15 minutes and let it thicken around the lamb. Toast the ½ cup of almonds separately until golden and scatter them over the tagine just before serving; their crunch is a welcome contrast to the tender meat and soft prunes. This is a lovely dinner for a relaxed weekend, when the two-hour cooking time is an advantage rather than an inconvenience. Serve it with couscous, warm flatbread, or plain rice to catch the spiced sauce, and add something fresh on the side—a simple cucumber salad, orange and fennel salad, or lightly dressed greens. A small bowl of harissa is useful for anyone who wants extra heat without changing the character of the whole dish.