Moroccan · Main course
Lamb Tagine with Chestnuts & Caramelised Onion
A rich winter tagine where lamb is braised until yielding, then finished with peeled chestnuts and a deep tfaya of caramelised onions, cinnamon and honey. The chestnuts turn soft and sweet in the dark, glossy sauce — a warming, festive dish for cold months.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 145 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 900 g lamb shoulder, cubed
- 250 g cooked, peeled chestnuts
- 3 onions (1 grated, 2 sliced)
- 1 tsp cinnamon plus 1 stick
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of saffron
- 3 tbsp olive oil plus 30 g butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 50 g raisins, soaked
- Salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Brown
Sear the lamb in oil and butter, then add the grated onion, saffron, ginger, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper.
- 2
Braise
Add water to come halfway up, cover, and simmer 90 minutes until the lamb is tender.
- 3
Make tfaya
Meanwhile cook the sliced onions slowly in butter with the ground cinnamon, honey and raisins until dark and jammy.
- 4
Add chestnuts
Add the chestnuts to the lamb and simmer 15 minutes so they warm and soak up the sauce.
- 5
Reduce
Reduce the sauce to glossy, then top with the caramelised onion tfaya.
- 6
Serve
Serve hot with bread; it's rich, so keep portions modest.
Chef's tips
- Use vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts to skip the tedious peeling.
- Add chestnuts late — they break apart if simmered too long.
- The onion tfaya can be made ahead and reheated.
Frequently asked questions
What is tfaya?
Tfaya is a Moroccan topping of onions slow-cooked with cinnamon, honey and raisins until dark and sweet, classically served over couscous or sweet tagines.
Fresh or pre-cooked chestnuts?
Pre-cooked, peeled chestnuts are far easier and work perfectly. If using fresh, score, roast and peel them first.