Note: The lamb tagine can be served spooned over couscous or rice. Toss some toasted almonds on and serve each serving with a slice of lemon. In order to prepare this recipe, you require a 5 to 6 quart size slow cooker. To get the desired results, the lamb shoulder must be weighed after it is boned and trimmed.

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons of ground cumin

2 teaspoons of ground turmeric

2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon of finely ground chilly powder

3 lbs of boneless, trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2 inch cube size

1/4 cup of flour

2 tablespoons of oil

1 tablespoon of butter

2 large onions, cut in to ½ inch size pieces

10 shallots, peeled and left as whole

4 teaspoons of sliced garlic

1 tablespoon of minced ginger

1 cup of dried apricots

1/2 cup of raisins

1 tablespoon of honey

2 or 3 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth

1 cup of pitted dates

Directions:

In a bowl large enough to hold it all, stir together the cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper, paprika and chilly. Add the cubed lamb pieces and mix until these pieces are uniformly covered in the spice mix. Sprinkle the flour and mix to give the lamb a light coating. If there is any flour left out in the bottom of the bowl, you may use this to thicken the tagine.

Heat a large saute pan or stove top-safe slow cooker over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. Once these are melted, add the lamb pieces in a single layer, (you may have to do this in multiple sessions) and sear until all the pieces are properly browned on all sides, roughly 8 minutes for each session. Remove the lamb with a slotted spoon back in to the large bowl.

Now, add the onions and shallots in to the pan. Saute them until the onions are just softened and turn slightly golden, roughly 5 minutes, stirring regularly. After this, remove the pan from heat.

Place the onions and shallots in an uniform layer in the slow cooker insert (if it is not in use already). Mix in the garlic, ginger, apricots, raisins, honey, cinnamon sticks and broth. Place the lamb pieces on top of the onion mixture in an uniform layer. Now you can sprinkle any left over flour over the lamb.

Close the insert and set it in the slow cooker. Set the slow cooker on to the high heat setting. After 2 hours, remove the lid and sprinkle the dates over the lamb. Replace the lid quickly as heat is lost whenever the lid is opened, and cook for an additional 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the lamb is fork-tender.

Now, remove the insert from the heat and slightly prop the lid open to let the mixture to cool a bit. Slowly stir the lamb with the vegetables and fruit items. Be gentle with the apricots and dates as they can be crushed easily if stirred too hard.

Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooking time (3 to 4 hours on high; 6 to 8 hours on low).

Servings: 6 to 8.