Moroccan · Main course
Beni Mellal Saffron Lamb Tagine
From the fertile plains beneath the Middle Atlas, Beni Mellal's lamb tagine is generous, saffron-gold farmhouse food: shoulder braised with sweet local onions, a handful of chickpeas and just enough spice to let the quality of the meat show. It is the kind of unhurried Sunday tagine that feeds a big table.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 110 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1 kg lamb shoulder, cubed
- 200 g cooked chickpeas
- 3 onions, sliced
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads, steeped
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch coriander and parsley, tied
- 1 preserved lemon, quartered
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
Method
- 1
Brown
Sear the lamb in the olive oil in a heavy pot, then add the onions, saffron, ginger, turmeric, pepper and salt.
- 2
Braise
Add the tied herbs and water to come halfway up, cover and simmer gently for 90 minutes until the lamb is meltingly tender.
- 3
Add chickpeas
Stir in the cooked chickpeas and preserved lemon and simmer 15 minutes to marry the flavours.
- 4
Reduce
Discard the herb bundle and reduce the sauce to a rich, golden gravy.
- 5
Rest
Let the tagine settle off the heat for 5 minutes.
- 6
Serve
Serve family-style with bread, everyone dipping into the shared dish.
Chef's tips
- If starting from dried chickpeas, soak overnight and simmer separately until tender before adding.
- Sweet, mild onions melt into the sauce and are worth seeking out.
- Steep saffron in a little warm water for 10 minutes to draw out full colour and aroma.
Frequently asked questions
Why add the herbs in a bundle?
Tying coriander and parsley into a bouquet lets them perfume the sauce during the long braise, then be lifted out cleanly before serving.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes — like most tagines it improves reheated the next day, once the flavours have settled. Add a splash of water when warming.