Lamb Tagine With Butternut Squash, Dried Apricots, And Almonds - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 lbs boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon saffron thread, crushed in you fingers
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons grated gingerroot
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 cups water
5 sprigs coriander (plus extra leaves for garnish)
1 medium sweet onion, peeled, cut in half, and sliced 3/8 inch thick (Vidalia onion)
1/2 cup blanched roasted almonds
1 (2 lb) butternut squash
3 tablespoons honey
16 dried apricots, soaked in warm water until soft, and cut in half

Preparation

Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat; add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
When oil begins to smoke, add half the lamb; lightly brown on all sides, regulating the heat if the meat threatens to burn.
Set meat aside in a bowl; repeat with remaining lamb.
Take the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Return it to med-low heat; add in 4 tablespoons butter; let it melt.
Add in the saffron, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, cayenne, ginger, and minced yellow onion, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.
Let the mixture cook gently for 4 minutes.
Add in the cooked lamb and any accumulated juices, with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; stirring to coat the lamb with the spice mixture.
Stir in the water; increase heat to high and bring just to a simmer.
With kitchen string, tie together 5 coriander springs and add to the pot.
Let mixture cook, uncovered, at a bare simmer( the bubbles should be lazy) for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the sliced sweet onion and the almonds; simmer for 30 minutes.
Taste the tagine; add salt if needed.
Remove the coriander bundle and discard.
Turn off the heat and allow the tagine to rest at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours at room temperature.
While tagine is resting: Prepare the squash--you only need the seedless neck from the squash; peel and halve the neck lengthwise; then cut it into 3/8-inch thick half moons.
Heat a large skillet over med-high heat and add in the remaining vegetable oil.
When the oil slides easily in the skillet, saute the squash pieces on both sides, lightly salting each side as you go for about 5 minutes per side or until just tender and golden brown at the edges.
Regulate the heat if the squash threatens to burn.
Near the end of cooking, and while the squash pieces are still a bit firm, add the remaining butter and drizzle the honey over the squash.
Swirl the pan to blend the ingredients, and gently toss the squash to coat.
Turn off the heat and reserve in the skillet.
When ready to serve, gently reheat the lamb, and stir in about 2/3s of the squash pieces.
Combine the apricots with the remaining squash in the skillet, cover and reheat gently, swirling to coat the pieces.
Divide the lamb mixture into 4 wide, shallow bowls.
Drizzle with some of the juices.
Distribute the apricots and remaining squash over the lamb.
Drizzle any liquid remaining in the skillet over each serving.
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.