Ingredients

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves
• peeled and crushed
• 4 onions
• peeled and chopped
• 4 tsp grated
• fresh ginger
• 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
• crushed
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3kg/7lb shoulder of lamb
• boned
• fat removed and cut into 4cm/1½in cubes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2kg/4½lb ripe tomatoes or 4 X 400g/14oz can tomatoes
• coarsely chopped
• 4-5 tbsp honey
• 1 large or 2 small pomegranates
• 800g/1¾lb couscous
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 lemons
• juice only
• 1 litre/1¾ pints boiling chicken stock or water
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp chopped
• fresh mint or coriander
• 1 lime
• cut into wedges
• bowl Greek yoghurt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 2.
• For the lamb tagine
• heat a large ovenproof casserole or heavy saucepan on a medium to high heat.
• Add the olive oil
• garlic
• onions
• ginger and spices and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir
• then cook
• covered
• on a low heat for about ten minutes
• until the onions are soft.
• Add the lamb
• tomato purée
• chopped tomatoes and honey into the saucepan
• stir throughly.
• Bring to the simmer and place in the oven for 1½ hours
• until the lamb is tender.
• Remove the lid of the saucepan halfway through the cooking time to let the liquid reduce and thicken.
• If the sauce is still a bit thin
• put the saucepan on the hob on a medium heat and without the lid. Stir occasionally and let the liquid reduce until a thick sauce begins to appear.
• Meanwhile
• for the couscous
• cut the pomegranates in half and scoop out the seeds using a teaspoon and remove the white membrane around the seeds.
• Place the couscous in a bowl and mix in the olive oil and lemon juice.
• Pour the boiling stock or water onto the couscous and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Allow the couscous to sit in a warm place for 5-10 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed.
• Stir the chopped herbs and pomegranate seeds into the couscous.
• To serve
• place the tagine on serving plates with couscous and a wedge of lime. Serve alongside a bowl of thick Greek yoghurt.