Exquisite Lamb Tajine with Sweet Potatoes and Soft-dried Apricots

Updated 8/02/2025. Previously published 14/05/2015

It is that time of the year again when we have 4 seasons in one day when we think of taking all the summer clothes out of the back of the wardrobe, organising picnics and barbecues, and finally being able to socialise again with yet again another long bank holiday weekend. The sun may be with us on some days, but for most of us, temperatures are still nearly freezing in the wee hours of the morning. During the day, temperatures are still timid, and comfort may only be what we need to warm up. 

Tajine is one of my favourite dishes. It can be highly delicious if appropriately done and the perfect comfort food on a cold evening. Traditional Moroccan Couscous inspired me, and using nutrition knowledge, I decided to add Sweet Potatoes to increase antioxidant levels such as Beta-carotene, Spices with the highest ORAC and Thermogenic spices such as Ginger and Chilli, Paprika, and Cayenne (increase natural body heat production).

Try my original recipe, and let the goodness warm you to the core. 

The recipe can also use dried figs or dates.

Serving suggestion

Recipe for 2:
365 g lamb neck
1 medium-large sweet potato
12 sun-dry (soft) apricots (replace with figs or dates, or preserved lemons to vary the taste)
2 tbsp pomegranate molasse
1 tbsp honey
1 tomato
1 onion
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 litre lamb stock
1 tsp corn flour (or arrowroot)
1/3 bunch fresh coriander
salt and pepper

Moroccan Spice Mix:
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp turmeric (ground)
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cinnamon (ground)
1 tsp paprika (ground)
1/2 tsp ginger (ground)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of chilli powder (or as much as you want for spicy hot)
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Method

1. "Clean" the Meat: Remove all tendons, skin, or any thick white layers, as shown below

2. Prepare Spice Mix. Add all ingredients in mortar and crush until a crumbly paste texture is obtained and all seeds are broken. Smell the flavours!

3. Prepare Meat. Cut 1-1.5 inch thick slices. 

N.B. 
- The larger the pieces, the longer it will take to cook. You may also end up with long meat fibres to chew. 
- The smaller the cuts, the more you risk the pieces of meat breaking apart during cooking, ending with pulled meat.
​So cut meat into the same size pieces for even cooking. 

4.  Place meat cubes in a bowl with salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of crushed spices. Mix well and set aside to rest for 20 minutes to 2 hours. I also added one tablespoon of my homemade garlic and Mediterranean herbs-infused olive oil to accentuate the flavours and keep the meat moist (plain olive or sesame oil is fine, too). 

5. Set frying pan on high heat, and without adding any oil/fat, fry pieces of lamb, placing them one by one in the pan (do not pour straight from the bowl - this will prevent the meat from browning and will subsequently boil, and be fibrous/tough when eating).

6. Fry each side for 2-3 minutes until all sides are brown.

7. Remove meat from the pan and reduce heat to very low. Decante meat pieces in a sieve over a bowl to let the meat drip off all juice and remain dry. 

8. Add the remaining spice mix and toast gently. It should not get dark but golden brown (If spices start burning, immediately remove from the heat, put it into a bowl and let it cool; once the pan is not as hot, start the process again). Chopped onion in paysanne and add to spices. Place a lid and let the onions melt for 10 minutes.  

9. Preheat oven to 200˚c.

10. Take the lid off, stir and set heat on high again; add meat pieces and toss gently in the pan to coat each cube with spices. Reduce heat again. Add Tomato Paste, stir, then pomegranate molasses and honey, and caramelise the meat gently, as shown below. Make sure the spice coating does not burn. Pour hot lamb stock over once nicely caramelised, as shown in the picture below. Dilute corn flour (or arrowroot) in cold water, pour over the stock and stir gently until fully incorporated. 

11. Stir well and pour all in tajine Dish. Place in oven with lid and reduce heat to 180˚c. 
Cook for 1h30 to 2 hours, checking liquid level every half hour and topping up if necessary. 

12. 1h00 to 1h30 into cooking, add diced sweet potatoes and apricots. Cook for a further half hour.

Look at the serving suggestion picture at the bottom to see what it should look like when it comes out of the oven. I would also recommend leaving the dish to rest with the lid on for 15 to 20 minutes before serving; this will allow the meat and juices to rest and be full of flavour! 
Sprinkle with freshly chopped Coriander and roughly sliced almonds right before serving.

Step 1: Clean lamb neck fillets

Serving suggestion: Lamb tajine and couscous

Serving suggestion: Lamb tajine and couscous

Serving suggestion: Lamb tajine and homemade flat bread