Lamb tagine

Serves 3 to 4

800 grams neck of lamb, or other cut suitable for stewing

1 large onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 dessertspoon ground cinnamon

1 green chilli pepper or 2 paprika peppers (I used one red and one green), chopped, or 1 teaspoon ground chilli (more if you like hot food)

3 bay leaves

3 tablespoons tomato purée

50 grams stoned green olives

olive oil, salt, enough water to cover the meat

In an earthenware dish or a heavy casserole (or a tagine, if you have one) heat some olive oil, add the onion and fry lightly, then add the pieces of meat, the garlic, spices, salt and bay leaves.  Stir in the oil to fry the spices lightly.

Add the tomato purée and enough water to cover the meat.  Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2 hours.  At this stage you can turn off the heat and leave the tagine until the next day when the flavours will have developed, or you can eat it straight away.  When you reheat it, or about 10 minutes before you are ready to eat, add the olives.

Serve with rice or couscous, yoghurt mixed with crushed garlic and mint leaves, and grated carrot salad with roasted cumin seeds.

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