Ingredients: 4 pounds of shoulder meat lamb, cut into pieces 1 cup dried apricot, prunes and dates 2 cups blanched and fried almonds 1 cup sliced onions 2 sticks of cinnamon 1 teaspoon of ginger 1 pinch of crushed natural saffron 1/2 cup of sesame seed 5 soup spoonful of granulated sugar Salt and pepper 1 bunch cilantro 1 teaspoon cooking olive oil 1/4 cup butter 2 tbsp. honey Directions:1. Cover the dried fruit with water and orange blossom and let soak 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the water. 2. Place the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put in the oven for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden. Turn off the oven and take out the almonds. Reserve. 3. Cut and trim lamb into 1' cubes. Put the lamb into a pressure cooker with onion and olive oil, and mix for 3 mn, than put the spices, salt, pepper, ginger, saffron and cinnamon, when the cubes of lambs have been browned, cover it with water and the reserved apricot water. After 20 minutes put everything in the tajine, cover and place in preheated 400-degree oven for 1 hour or, bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook slowly for an hour, (be careful that it has always enough water) When almost cooked, remove the onion and the cilantro. Pour in the orange blossom and the honey, the butter, add cinnamon, allow to simmer then add the apricots, the prune, the dates and simmer for another half hour, until the meat is very tender, and the sauce lie, stir the meat, and cook for another 5 minutes. Blanch fry and drain almonds, grill the sesame seed slightly in a dry shallow pan. Put before serving the grilled almonds and the sesame, and serve Hot on the middle of the table. Serve with bread. |