Lamb Tagine With Honey, Prunes, Onions And Toasted Almonds - cooking recipe

Ingredients

16 pearl onions
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. lamb stew
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small Aubergine, diced (optional)
10 threads saffron
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup pitted prunes or dried apricots, chopped
20 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup whole almonds

Preparation

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small saucepan filled with boiling water, blanch the pearl onions for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Peel the onions and set aside.
In a medium Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the meat in batches on all sides. Transfer the meat to a platter. Add the diced onions (and Aubergine) to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Grind the saffron in a mortar and pestle (or rub it between your fingers) and add it to the beef broth. Return the meat to the pot. Stir the saffron mixture into the pot with the lamb. Stir in the honey, turmeric, cinnamon and prunes (apricots). Add the cilantro. Cover the pot tightly with foil and then with a lid. Put the pot in the oven and bake until the lamb is tender, about 50 minutes. Add the pearl onions, cover, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small dry non- stick frying pan, toast the almonds until golden. Set aside.
Remove the foil and lid. Carefully spoon off any grease. Add 1 tsp. salt and 1 1/2 tsp. pepper. Return the pot, uncovered, to the oven, and let the sauce reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the Tagine with the toasted almonds. Serve on couscous.