We use slices from the leg for dishes like this (also great for grilling in summer). They’re lean, meatier and cheaper than chops but are a nicer quality than the packages of lamb pieces for stews.
I buy bags of frozen artichoke bottoms, but plain, canned work as well, just rinse first.
Finally, I use a tagine, the heavy casserole with a conical lid that is typical of Moroccan cooking, Any heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid will work.
Serve on couscous or rice.
Tagine is both the name of the cooking dish and the name of the food cooked in it.
Strangely (or maybe not) Moroccans tend to use ground ginger rather than fresh.
Tagine of Lamb and Artichoke Bottoms
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 16oz (480gr) lamb shoulder or leg, cut into pieces, preferably with bone
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 tbs parsley, chopped
- 1 cup (8oz, 240gr) tomatoes, peeled, chopped, with juices
- 2 tsp maizena (cornstarch, corn flour) dissolved in 2 tbs water if needed
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a tagine or heavy pot with tight-fitting lid.
- Add lamb and brown on all sides.
- Add the shallots, garlic, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add all spices and stir-fry briefly.
- Return the lamb to the pan, add tomatoes, juices, cover, turn heat to low and braise for 45 minutes.
- Add artichoke bottoms, parsley, and cook 15 minutes longer.
- Add cornstarch mixture if desired, stirring until thickened. You may not need all of it.
- Serve.
It’s been 3 days without my desktop computer.
I have at least 2 more to go before I get it fixed.
I keep telling myself it’s healthy to take a break…. It’s good to get back to basics….
I’m not totally disconnected. I still have my laptop (that I am typing this on).
But it’s a small laptop, with a small keyboard and a small screen and tinny speakers and a small mouse and, and, and….
How do people work on these things?
Well, they don’t. They have big laptops.
Still…. the keyboard would drive me crazy.
I found a spare set of speakers, I hooked up my hard drive back-up, and I’m managing.
For the curious, my desktop is custom-built so I can’t just take it back to the store for a new one…. We’re working on it.
So, you wonder, what have I been doing with myself?
I cleaned the house; I worked on the sweater I’m crocheting; I did a bit of drawing; I wandered aimlessly around the house; I went down and looked at the lake with the dogs and mon mari.
I watched Sarah Palin endorse Donald Trump.
Twice.
Once just wasn’t enough.
Then I watched Stephen Colbert roast Sarah Palin endorsing Donald Trump.
Then I watched Tina Fey doing Sarah Palin endorsing Donald Trump.
Then I went back out and looked at the lake….. For a very, very, very long time.
I think I’d rather go back a forth from the tagine and the lake … the tagging looks so good.
‘I watched Sarah Palin endorse Donald Trump.’
I think I would have glued my eyes to the tagine, looking neither left nor right. So to speak.
I like the idea of leaving bone in when possible. I think it adds to flavor, and forces guests to drop their civility and gnaw on them like partiers from the Middle Ages. They leave the house happier for having done that.
I am an addict too . I have done that aimless wander around the house, wishing and wanting and yearning for my computer.
You deserve a MAC!
How many artichoke bottoms did you use? Can you substitute frozen artichoke hearts?
Gloria, I used about 12 I think…. they were quite small,You could certainly use artichoke hearts instead…. Just not the ones in the jar that are marinated lol.
Tanna, I am scarily fascinated by that lake…
Dan, the foods we had in Morocco were bone-in. I agree – lots of flavor and it also forces people to slow down a bit – having to negotiate around the bones and all lol
kate, I;m starting to worry about me a little ;-))
Sullimaybe, but I don;t want a Mac…. I want mine. I had it built just for me!. (If I had wanted a Mac….lol) .