Name: Tagine of lamb & merguez sausages
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1 tbsp each ground cumin, paprika and turmeric; 1 tsp hot chilli powder; 2 large red onions roughly chopped; 3 garlic cloves; thumb-sized piece ginger roughly chopped; 200ml/ 7fl oz olive oil; 200ml/ 7fl oz lemon juice (about 4 lemons); 1 tbsp honey; large handful flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped; large handful coriander roughly chopped; 6 lamb shanks or a 1kg/2lb 4oz piece lamb or mutton shoulder (if using shoulder ask the butcher to cut it into 10cm chunks on the bone); 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 carrots sliced; 2 red onions sliced; 12 dried prunes; 1 tbsp honey; juice ½ lemon; 8 merguez sausages (optional); 2 preserved lemons homemade (see recipe below) or bought, pulp scooped out, rinsed and finely sliced; 2 mint sprigs, to serve; harissa to serve (see recipe below)

For the chermoula marinade

1 tbsp each ground cumin, paprika and turmeric
1 tsp hot chilli powder
2 large red onions
roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves
thumb-sized piece ginger
roughly chopped
200ml/ 7fl oz olive oil
200ml/ 7fl oz lemon juice
(about 4 lemons)
1 tbsp honey
large handful flat-leaf parsley
roughly chopped
large handful coriander
roughly chopped

For the tagine

6 lamb
shanks or a 1kg/2lb 4oz piece lamb or mutton shoulder (if using shoulder ask the butcher to cut it into 10cm chunks on the bone)
4 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots
sliced
2 red onions
sliced
12 dried prunes
1 tbsp honey
juice ½ lemon
8 merguez sausages
(optional)
2 preserved lemons
homemade (see recipe below) or bought, pulp scooped out, rinsed and finely sliced
2 mint
sprigs, to serve
harissa
to serve (see recipe below)

Method

step 1
For the marinade, roast the spices in a dry pan for a couple mins until fragrant. Put remaining marinade ingredients in a blender and process to a smooth paste, then add the roast spices and blend again to combine. Place the lamb in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Leave in the paste overnight, or for at least 2 hrs to absorb all the flavours.
step 2
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. In a large roasting tin, big enough to fit the meat in one single layer, heat the oil and place over a high heat on the hob. Remove the meat from the marinade, wiping off and reserving any excess, then brown shanks on all sides in the hot oil.
step 3
Add remaining marinade to the dish along with the carrots, onions and prunes, then pour in 1 litre water. Cover the dish tightly with foil and cook in a low oven for 3½-4 hrs until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone. Add the honey, lemon juice and seasoning and keep warm.
step 4
If using, fry the sausages until cooked through, then add to the tagine. Serve the meat in a large bowl with the sauce spooned over, then scatter with the preserved lemons and mint, and serve the harissa on the side.