Lamb, spinach and kumquat tagine
Meat mains
Lamb, spinach and kumquat tagine
Kumquats have a sweet-sharp citrussy taste and can be eaten raw (whole) or cooked. In this tagine-style dish they ape the flavour of preserved lemons, cutting through the richness of the lamb. Kumquat seeds can add a little bitterness, so once you've sliced them it's best to remove as many of them as you have time or inclination to.
Ingredients
- 350g diced lamb leg
- oil for frying
- 1 large or 2 small onions (red or white), peeled and finely sliced
- 100g kumquats, halved lengthways, seeds removed, then finely sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 3-4cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
- ½ tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp dried mint
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of chilli flakes, or ½ tbsp harissa (optional, for a little heat)
- 1 tin chickpeas, drained
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 200ml chicken or good veg stock
- 1 tbsp honey
- 50g dried apricots, dates or figs, chopped
- 200g baby or true spinach, leaves stripped from any tough stalks
- small handful fresh mint, leaves shredded
- small handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Season the lamb. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide flameproof casserole. Fry the lamb to brown it, then transfer to a plate.
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Step 2
Add the onion and almost all the kumquats to the same pan (saving just a few shreds for a garnish), with a splash more oil. Gently fry for 10 mins, until softened.
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Step 3
Add the garlic, ginger, spices and chilli or harissa if using. Stir for 1 min.
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Step 4
Add the lamb, chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, stock, honey and dried fruit. Season.
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Step 5
Bring the pan up to a low simmering boil, partly cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the liquid level and top up with a splash of extra water if needed, depending on your pan size.
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Step 6
Check the lamb is tender; it's a lean meat so you don't want to overcook it, but it may need a tad longer - 10-20 mins should be plenty. Stir in the spinach until wilted.
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Step 7
Stir in most of the fresh herbs. Check the seasoning and serve sprinkled with the remaining herbs and kumquat shreds.
