Slow-Cooker Lamb, Apricot and Olive Tagine
It’s the start of a new year, and that means it’s time to throw out all that candy and chocolate. All those cakes and cookies, all the fattening food and drink that make up most of November and December. In other words, it’s time to get healthy. So, throw out all that bread and grab your fruit and veggies. Let’s do this!
The start of the new year not only means healthy habits, it also means the temperature drops and all I want is something hot and cozy to get me through the night. While a heavy blanket and fuzzy slippers are great, they only warm me up on the outside. On chilly winter nights I want something to warm me up from the inside as well. On nights like that only a stew or tagine will work.
What is a Tagine
A tagine is a large part of Moroccan cuisine that has been part of the culture for hundreds of years. The word tagine has two meanings: it’s a type of North African cookware, traditionally made of clay, the bottom of which is usually a wide, shallow, circular dish used for both cooking and serving, while the top is shaped into a cone with a hole in the top, sort of like a tepee. Primarily used to slow-cook savory stews and vegetable dishes, the lid traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, tenderizing the meat.
But Tagine isn’t just the name of the cookware, it also refers to the stew-like dish which is usually made inside. Typically a mixture of meat or poultry, a tagine almost always includes vegetables or fruit, making for a rich, filling winter meal. Tagines often include various spices, such as turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, ginger, and cumin as well. Recipes for this dish vary quite a bit. Some use lamb, beef or chicken and feature dried fruit and nuts, while others use fresh herbs, olives, and preserved lemons.
A Slow Cooker is a Great Alternative
While the tagine is the classic way to make a… tagine, it’s not the only way. If you’re like me, and don’t own one, you can still sample and savor the Moroccan dish. Just do what I do and use your slow cooker. The slow cooker tenderizes the meat just like a tagine, while filling it with Middle Eastern flavors thanks to all the spices that are mixed in. Then if you add dried fruit or vegetables, you end up with a wonderful meal, full of warm winter flavors. Flavors that are both cozy and comforting. Plus, using the slow cooker means you don’t need to be home all day. You can fill it in the morning, leave for the day, and then when you come home, not only does your house smell amazing, you have a scrumptious, filling meal that will transport you to the northern tip of Africa and beyond.
Notes
Adapted from Real Simple
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, halved
- 1/2 cup pitted, green olives
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup couscous
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients through the salt and pepper into a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Pour a ½ cup water over everything. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours, or until the lamb and vegetables are tender.
- A few minutes before serving, cook the couscous according to package directions. Serve the lamb mixture over the couscous with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.
