Morrocan

This is the perfect winter comfort food, rich and flavourful mix of fresh herbs and spices, with the perfect balance between sweet and zesty. If you take the time to marinate the meat the day before and cook it slowly for at least 2 hours, the meat will literrally fall off the bone. Serve with cous cous for a complete meal.

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 lamb shanks, excess fat trimmed
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3 onions, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 bunch of coriander
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
6 chat potatoes, peeled and cut in half
4 vine ripened tomatoes, thickly sliced
75 g dried apricots
2 tbsp clear honey
3 bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Couscous (to serve)
Lemon (to serve)
Greek yoghourt (to serve)

Instructions:

1. Place the ground ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, paprika and chilli powder into a bowl and mix together. Season the lamb shanks with a splash of olive olive oil, a good pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper and rub in the spice mix. Set aside for at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge if you can.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees. Place the garlic cloves, coriander stalks (save the leaves), 2 onions and 2/3 of the red chilli in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste.

3. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add lamb pieces to brown and set aside. Add the spice paste to the remaining oil and fry gently for 3 minutes.

4. Add carrots, the remaining onion, potatoes, tomatoes, apricots and turn over a few times in the spice mixture. Season with Salt and pepper.

5. Transfer the mixture to a Tagine dish if you have one or a large air tight and over proof dish. Place the lamb on top, add the bay leaves, honey and enough stock to almost cover the meat. Cook in the oven for 2 hours.

6. Serve with couscous and sprinkle with coriander leaves, red chili, a couple of lemon wedges and a dollop of Greek yoghourt.

Click here if you would like to see the Nibblish Beef Tagine Recipe!

There is nothing cooler and fresher than a cucumber salad. The classic combination of cucumber, mint and feta cheese can make this dish pretty special too!

Ingredients: (serve 4 as a starter)
3 lebanese cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
100g fresh feta cheese, crumbed
1/2 small bunch of mint, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Zaatar spice (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Place the sliced cucumber neatly on a serving plate and season with pepper and Zaatar spice.

2. Sprinkle on crumbled bits of feta cheese and the mint.

3. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Dizzle the dressing over the salad right before serving.

This dish is the perfect, quick and easy way to add fresh greens at the start of your meal!

• 200g couscous
• 1 stock cube
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 small bunch of mint, finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
• 1 small red chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeds removed, finely diced 
  
• 1 yellow capsicum, seeds removed, finely diced 
• 1 Green Capsicum seeds removed, finely diced 
• 10 small cherry tomatoes, seeds removed, finely diced 
• Feshly ground Salt & Pepper
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I absolutely love when the house fills up with the the intense fragrance of a good tagine cooking away slowly. My mum was taught a few very tasty North African recipes when she lived in Tunisia as a teenager which became classics in the family over the years. It can be a little bit time consuming, but mainly for the meat to marinate and for the dish to cook really slowly so just get started early and do something else in the meantime!