Pressure Cooker Moroccan Lamb Tajine
Sweet and savory combine with spices we don’t usually associate in a meat dish to create a classic Moroccan Tajine – a dish usually prepared in a conical ceramic pot (larger than the one photographed) that operates a bit like it’s own pressure cooker!
You can serve this dish, with a cardamom infused Basmati rice. Just make your rice in the usual way, and throw in a few crushed Cardamom pods.
Pressure Cooked Moroccan Lamb Tajine
about 2.5 lbs or 1.2 kg lamb shoulder, cut into pieces 1 Tsp Cinnamon powder 2 Onions, roughly sliced 10 oz or 300g Prunes, soaked (or a mix of Apricots and Dried Raisins) 1 Bay Laurel Leaf 3 Tbsp. Honey 3.5 oz or 100g Almonds, shelled, peeled and toasted Mix the ground cinnamon, tumeric, ginger, garlic with 2 spoons of olive oil to make a paste, cover the meat with this paste and set aside. Put the dried prunes in a bowl, and cover with boiling water cover and, set aside. In the preheated pressure cooker, with the lid off on medium heat, add two swirls of olive oil and onions and let them cook until softened (about 3 minutes). Pour out the onions, and set aside. Add the meat, and brown on all sides (about 10 minutes). Then, de-glaze the pressure cooker with the vegetable stock, ensuring to scrape the bottom well and incorporating any brown bits into the rest of the sauce. Then, add the onions, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Close and lock the lid and pressure cook for 25 minutes at high pressure. When time is up, open the pressure cooker with the natural release method – move the pressure cooker to a cool burner and wait for the pressure to come down on it’s own (about 10 minutes). Add to the pressure cooker, with the lid off on medium heat, salt, rinsed and drained prunes, honey and reduce the liquid (about 5 minutes). Fish out the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4-6
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I have never tried Moroccan recipes..but you have aroused my interest in it ! Thank you !
http://www.recipesfromeurope.blogspot.com
Mihela, if you try it, come back to tell us what you think!
Ciao,
L
Just finished this wonderful tagine! The seasonings were spot on – it was rich and luxurious. Served mine over couscous and made only two changes. My butcher only had leg so had him cut it up for me into small pieces. Worked wonderfully. Also, I just threw my apricots (that’s what I had on hand) right into the PC and cooked everything together for 30 min in my electric PC. There was enough texture for me that way – thank you for a wonderful recipe!
PamS, great to hear of your success in the electric pressure cooker! Lamb shanks were a prefect substitution. Any tough cut of meat benefits immensely from this long braise — well…. long in Pressure Cooking time!!
Ciao,
L
Made this tonight almost exactly as written (added cardamom to spice blend, sultanas to apricots, reduced sauce in saucepan separate from meat) – awesome dish! Picky dad and 15-yr-old niece had big seconds. Cardamom basmati so nice. Threw in crushed lot, seeds & shells – was that right? Can’t wait to make for chef BF. Lamb shoulder way to go.
This recipie was delicious, what an intriguing blend of spices!
If one wished to incorporate additional vegetables, such as potatoes or carrots, would you advise adding them to the pot after some time or preparing them seperately so that they are not overcooked and mushey? Would you increase the amount seasoning or use a different blend if cooking the vegetables seperately?
Thanks for sharing your fine work in such comprehensible terms. The photos prove most helpful as well.
Kewlio,
Yes, you are right, you should phase-in the veggies later in the cooking. Pressure cook the tajine for 20 minutes, then add diced potatoes and carrots sliced in large rondelles (about 3/4″ thick) on top and bring up to pressure, cook for 5 more minutes with natural release.
Ciao,
L
Thanks for the prompt reply, Laura.
I prepared this dish again last night, roughly doubling the spice blend to account for the volume of additional vegetables. I briefly seared the carrots after the onions and phased them in again with the potatoes as you suggested. The veggies were well cooked yet remained firm, your timing is impeccable!