Lamb Tagine

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lamb meat , cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil , divided
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.75 teaspoons garlic powder
• 0.75 teaspoons ground coriander
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 0.5 teaspoons ground ginger
• 0.25 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 0.25 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 0.25 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 pinch saffron
• 2 medium onions , cut into 1-inch cubes
• 5 carrots , peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise into thin strips
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 lemon , zested
• 1 can homemade chicken broth or low-sodium canned broth , 14.5 ounce
• 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch , Optional
• 1 tablespoon water , Optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Place lamb and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl and toss to coat; set aside.

2. 2

   Mix paprika, cinnamon, salt, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, cayenne, cloves, and saffron together in a large resealable bag. Add lamb to the bag and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

3. 3

   Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the lamb and brown well, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat to cook remaining two batches of lamb.

4. 4

   Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger; continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Return lamb to the pot and stir in lemon zest, chicken broth, tomato paste, and honey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours.

5. 5

   If the consistency of tagine is too thin, you may thicken it with cornstarch and water slurry during the last 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve over couscous.