Leg of Lamb Recipe Prepared in a Tagine

Source: Flavorista

This is a leg of lamb recipe that doesn’t take much work, but needs lots of time. You can make this a day ahead, store the leg of lamb and juices separately and then reheat the next day. This allows time to slice the leg of lamb and reheat it in the sauce. This leg of lamb recipe will work with 5 pounds of lamb shanks as well.

• 1 (12-oz) can Muir Glenn Organic fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies
  (These are spicy so if you don’t like spicy food just use 2 cans of regular chopped tomatoes)
• 1 (12-oz) can Muir Glenn Organic chopped Tomatoes
  (The fire roasted ones work really well)
• 1/4 cup candied (or crystilized) ginger, chopped
  (or you can use freshly grated ginger)
• 1 large onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1 cups dried plums (aka prunes), halved
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. saffron threads

Finishing:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion, sliced

1. Early in the day, place the leg of lamb in the tagine pot and sprinkle with the salt, place the tomatoes, ginger and grated onion on top and toss it all together to coat well. Allow to sit covered until the leg of lamb gets to room temperature for about 2 hours. You can do this in the tagine. Do not place a cold tagine on an open flame. They are designed to be used at room temperature. So if you are wary of leaving meat at room temperature (which you really don’t need to be as long as it is not for more that 2 hours), marinate the lamb in something else.

2. Add the water, ginger, cinnamon, prunes, brown sugar, salt and saffron to the tangine and stir to combine with the tomatoes. Place the tagine on the stove and heat over a medium/high heat and bring it to a boil. You should be able to smell the spices. Cover and lower the heat and cook for 3 to 4 hours. The juices might bubble up ou over the tagine so check it from time to time and make sure there is enough liquid in your tagine as it cooks. You might need to add more water as it cooks. Remove from heat.

3. If you want to brown your leg of lamb to crisp it up, them remove it from the tagine and place into a roasting pan and broil for a few minutes or simply transfer the leg of lamb to a cutting board and let it rest while you finsih the sauce. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden. Add the sauce from the tagine and blend well. Adjust seasonings. Pour sauce over leg of lamb pieces and serve.

We enjoyed this leg of lamb recipe with a simple salad as it was very hearty and flavorful. This leg of lamb really didn’t need much but a great loaf of bread and perhaps a nice bottle of red wine.

PS from Kimberly: If you do not own a tangine but would like to try to this leg of lamb recipe, marinate the leg of lamb in a dutch oven and then bring everything to a boil. Once boiling transfer leg of lamb to a slow cooker and cover. Cook leg of lamb on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours. Pick up the leg of lamb recipe again at step 3.

This Leg of Lamb Recipe is Perfect with:

• 100% Grass-Fed Leg of Lamb
• 100% Grass-Fed Petite Lamb Roast
• Smith & Truslow Freshly Ground 100% Organic Spices