Lamb Tagine with Squash & Chickpeas - Gwenth Paltrow

Directions

Combine the coriander leaves with the garlic, ginger, onion, cumin, pepper, and olive oil in a powerful blender along with a large pinch of salt.

Blend everything together until completely pureed. Place the lamb in a large bowl and pour the marinade over it.

Using your hands, make sure every bit of meat is completely covered with the marinade.

Cover the bowl with clingfilm and set it in the fridge for at least six hours, or as long as overnight.

Take the lamb out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for ½ hour.

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas mark 3 and place the lamb, along with all of the marinade, into a large, heavy saucepan (we use a Le Creuset dutch oven for this) set over medium-high heat.

Cook, stirring now and then, until completely browned all over, for a solid 15 minutes (do this in batches if the lamb doesn’t fit into your pot in one layer).

Once the lamb is just browned, sprinkle it with the saffron, stir to combine, and add the chicken stock.

Bring the mixture to a boil and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits that might have stuck to the bottom. Turn the heat off.

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the saucepan, crunch it up into a ball, and wet it.

Smooth out the damp parchment and lay it over the lamb like a blanket (this will help keep in the moisture).

Put the lid on the pan and tuck it into the oven for 1½ hours. Take the lid off the pot and set aside the parchment.

Stir the chickpeas and squash into the pot, put the parchment back and the lid on, and return the pan to the oven for a final ½ hour.

The lamb should be meltingly tender and the squash should be cooked through but not disintegrated.

Season the tagine to taste with salt and serve immediately, scattered with the preserved lemon and the chopped coriander.