Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Fennel and Dates
A slow-cooked lamb tagine with fennel, red onion, garlic, warm spices, and dates. It is rich, savory, a little sweet, and best for a day when dinner can simmer gently in the background.
Ingredients
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and patted dry
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup pitted dates chopped
- 2 cups water divided, plus more if needed
- Fresh cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Trim the fennel stalks. Cut the bulb in half, remove any tough core, and slice the fennel thinly.
- Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in the base of a tagine or a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are just beginning to brown. Transfer them to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brown the lamb in batches so the pieces have room to sear. Move each browned batch to a plate, then return all of the lamb to the pot.
- Stir together the ginger, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the lamb and cook for about 1 minute, stirring so the meat is coated.
- Add the cooked vegetables, chopped dates, and 1 cup water. Stir, cover, and cook gently over medium-low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add the remaining water a little at a time as needed while the tagine cooks. The sauce should stay moist and thick, not dry.
- Taste and adjust salt. Serve warm with fresh cilantro.
Notes
Adapted from a Le Creuset recipe shared by A Girl Worth Saving. Original source: Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Fennel and Dates.
If you do not have a tagine, use a heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and keep the heat gentle.