Gary Mehigan'S Lamb Tajine - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1/2 cup coriander (use a whole bunch)
1 onion, cut into quarters
12 garlic cloves, peeled
2 preserved lemons, quarters
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 kg boned trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 4cm chunks (about 1.3kg before trimming)
1 tablespoon sumac
2 sticks cinnamon
1 pinch saffron thread
flaked sea salt
400 ml chicken stock
1 cup blanched almond
10 fresh dates, pitted (medjool)

Preparation

Grind the coriander, cumin and caraway seeds with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
Reserve half of the coriander leaves for serving, then chop the well washed coriander roots, stems and remaining leaves and place in a blender. Add the onion, garlic and 1 preserved lemon quarter, then blend until smooth.
Place the tajine base on element and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil into tajine, bring from low to high heat, then cook the lamb in batches, for 2-3 minutes, turning until golden brown on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium, then return the rest of the lamb to the tajine base and add the ground spices and sumac. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to release the aroma from the spices.
Preheat the oven to 155\u00b0C fan-forced (175\u00b0C conventional).
Pour the spiced coriander paste over the lamb, then add the cinnamon, saffron and 2 teaspoons salt. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring to mix. Reduce the heat, put on the tajine lid and leave on the stove over very low heat with the lid on to cook for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, place the almonds on a baking tray, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake for 10 minutes or until golden, then set aside.
When the lamb is tender, remove the lid from the tajine and add the dates, then leave to stand.