Slow-braised lamb shoulder in a warmly spiced sauce with sweet prunes and toasted almonds, a celebratory Moroccan classic.
Lamb with prunes is one of the most celebrated sweet-savory tagines in Moroccan cooking, typically served at weddings and holidays, where the sticky-sweet fruit and rich, spiced lamb sauce are meant to be eaten together in the same bite. The lamb shoulder is braised for a long stretch with cinnamon, ginger, and a touch of saffron until it becomes fall-apart tender, while the prunes are added partway through so they plump in the sauce rather than turning mushy from a full-length simmer. Finished with a scatter of almonds toasted in butter and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, the dish balances richness, sweetness and warmth in a way that's distinctly Moroccan, best served with couscous or bread to soak up the sauce.
Serves 4
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the lamb chunks on all sides, about 10 minutes; remove and set aside.
Cook onions in the same pot until softened, about 8 minutes, then add garlic, ginger, cinnamon and saffron, stirring 1 minute.
Return the lamb to the pot with water or stock and salt; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low 75-90 minutes until the lamb is very tender.
Stir in prunes and honey, then continue simmering uncovered for 15-20 minutes to reduce the sauce and plump the fruit.
Add the prunes only in the last stretch of cooking so they stay plump rather than dissolving.
Meanwhile, toast almonds in butter in a small pan until golden.
Ladle the lamb and sauce into a serving dish, scatter with toasted almonds and sesame seeds.
Brown the lamb thoroughly before braising — this step builds the deep base flavor the whole dish relies on.
Add the prunes in the final 20 minutes only; a full-length simmer turns them into mush instead of keeping them plump.
Toast the almonds separately in butter right before serving so they stay crunchy against the soft lamb and fruit.
Some versions add whole peeled hard-boiled eggs to the tagine near the end for a traditional festive presentation.
Dried apricots can replace or supplement the prunes for a different sweetness.
A chicken version using thighs cooks in about half the time and is common for weeknight meals.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; the flavor deepens the next day. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if needed.
Lamb with prunes reflects the long-standing Moroccan tradition of pairing meat with dried fruit and warm spices, a style with roots in medieval Andalusian and Persian-influenced cooking that spread across North Africa.
Shoulder is preferred for its fat content, which keeps the meat moist through a long braise; leg is leaner and can dry out.
Soak them in warm water for 10 minutes before adding to the tagine so they plump faster and more evenly.
Simmer uncovered for the final 15-20 minutes as directed to let the liquid reduce and concentrate.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 4 servings total
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