Moroccan · Main course
Wedding Lamb Tagine with Honey & Almonds
The grand sweet-savoury lamb tagine that crowns a Moroccan wedding feast — lamb braised until spoon-tender in saffron and ginger, then glazed in a dark honey-and-cinnamon syrup and showered with fried almonds and sesame. It is served late in the meal as a statement of generosity, its glossy meat pulling apart at the touch of bread.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 130 min
- Total
- 160 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder, in large pieces
- 3 onions, grated
- Generous pinch of saffron, bloomed
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 tbsp olive oil or smen
- 4 tbsp honey
- 100 g blanched almonds, fried golden
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- 1
Marinate
Rub the lamb with grated onion, saffron water, ginger, salt and pepper and rest 30 minutes.
- 2
Braise
Warm the oil in a large tagine, add the lamb, marinade, cinnamon and 400 ml water, cover and cook gently for about two hours until the meat is falling off the bone.
- 3
Reduce the sauce
Lift out the lamb, reduce the onion sauce until thick and jammy.
- 4
Glaze with honey
Stir the honey into the reduced sauce and simmer to a glossy syrup, then return the lamb and turn it to coat and caramelise.
- 5
Crown and serve
Transfer to a platter, spoon over the honey glaze and shower with the fried almonds and sesame seeds.
Chef's tips
- Fry the almonds separately and add at the very end so they stay crunchy against the soft meat.
- Reduce the sauce well before the honey goes in, or the glaze stays thin and won't cling.
- Balance the sweetness with enough salt and saffron so the tagine still reads as a savoury main.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use lamb shanks?
Yes; shanks are excellent here, staying beautifully tender and dramatic on the platter. Extend the braise until the meat pulls easily from the bone.
Is this the same as mrouzia?
It is closely related. Mrouzia leans on ras el hanout and raisins and is even sweeter; this wedding version keeps the spicing simpler around saffron and cinnamon.