Whether you are hosting a large dinner party or looking for a dish that will serve a good number of people as part of a buffet, this Tagine is perfect. It serves 10, so perfect for a large group, but it also doesn’t take long to make and prep. Served with delicious and fresh couscous on the side, it makes a fantastic main course for your dinner party.

Lamb tagine with dates & sweet potatoes

Serves 10 – 12 | Prep 30 mins| Cook 2 hrs | Easy | Gluten-Free

lamb-tagine-2

You’ll need

  • 6 tbsp olive oil;
  • 4 onions, thinly sliced;
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger;
  • 2kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm chunks;
  • 4 tsp ground cumin;
  • 2 tsp each paprika and ground coriander
  • 2 cinnamon sticks;
  • 850ml passata;
  • 700g sweet potato, cut into chunks;
  • 350g pitted dates;
  • 100g blanched almond, toasted
  • good handful coriander, roughly chopped

Heat the oil in a large, deep pan or casserole dish. Add the onions, then gently fry until softened, about 5 mins. Stir in the ginger, add the meat in batches, then fry on all sides until lightly coloured. Return all the meat to the pan, stir in the spices and cinnamon sticks, then cook for 1 min.

Add the passata and 800ml water, then bring to the boil, stirring. Season well, then cover and simmer for 1½ hrs, until the lamb is tender.

Add the sweet potatoes, stir well, cover again, then cook for 20 mins or until the potatoes are just tender. Stir in the dates and heat through for 5 mins. Taste and add more seasoning if necessary. To serve, spoon the tagine into a serving dish and scatter with the almonds and coriander.

Original recipe from BBC Good Food magazine supplement, November 2012, available online here.