Moroccan cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Tajine Lahm bel Kharchouf wa Zitoun

Lamb braised with artichoke hearts, green olives and preserved lemon, reduced to a salty-tangy sauce.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 800 g lamb shoulder (cubed)
• 4 artichoke bottoms
• 150 g green olives
• 1 preserved lemon
• 2 onions
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Pit the olives and blanch them in boiling water for 5 min.; quarter the preserved lemon, remove the flesh, and cut the peel into strips.
2. Finely dice the onions, chop the garlic, and quarter the artichoke bottoms, keeping them in water with the juice of the lemon until needed.
3. Heat the olive oil in a braising pot, brown the lamb all over for 6–8 min., sauté the onions and garlic for 4 min., then add the ginger and the saffron threads dissolved in 3 tbsp hot water.
4. Pour in 500 ml water, season lightly with salt and pepper, and braise covered over gentle heat for 65 min. until the meat is tender.
5. Add the artichokes, olives and preserved lemon strips and continue cooking uncovered for 25 min. until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has reduced by about half.
6. Season with pepper, sprinkle with plenty of chopped cilantro, and serve straight from the tagine.