Lamb Tagine with Sweet Tomato Jam

Serves 18

Ingredients

• 9 lbs ripe tomatoes
• 6 lbs leg of lamb
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 6 brown onions, coarsely grated
• 6 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 cinnamon stick
• .5 tsp saffron threads
• .5 C tomato paste
• 6 tbsp honey
• 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 6 tbsp butter
• 3/4 C blanched almonds

Procedure

1. Halve tomatoes and squeeze out seeds. Coarsely grate into a bowl and discard skin.
2. Trim lamb into 3cm pieces.
3. Heat half the oil in heavy saucepan and brown the lamb. Set aside.
4. Reduce heat to low and add remaining olive oil and the onion. Cook until onion has softened.
5. Stir in garlic, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon stick and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add saffron, tomato paste, and cook for 1 more minute.
7. Add lamb and grated tomato to the pan. Stir and season with salt and pepper.
8. Cover and simmer gently for 1.5 hours.
9. Partially cover and cook additional 20 minutes.
10. Remove cover and simmer 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
11. When it reaches a jam-like consistency with the oil beginning to separate, add the honey and ground cinnamon and simmer for 2 minutes.
12. Melt butter in small frying pan, add almonds and cook over medium heat.
13. Transfer lamb to serving dish and sprinkle with almonds.