Tagine of lamb with apricots and almonds

Ingredients

1boned half leg of lamb (boned, trimmed and diced; ask your butcher to do it for you)
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
100g dried or fresh apricot, chopped
50g flaked almonds, toasted in oven or under grill
1 preserved lemon, chopped
750g blanched tomatoes, de-skinned and de-seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika (the more paprika the hotter it is)
500 ml hot vegetarian stock
Sunflower oil for cooking

Utensils

1 large heavy bottomed saucepan
1 sharp knife
1 wooden spoon

Method

1. Cover the bottom of the pan with oil and put on a high heat. Add the diced lamb, the onion and the garlic and keep stirring until all the meat has been browned.

2. Add the chopped tomato and continue cooking over a lower heat for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the lemon, apricots, almonds, ground ginger, cumin and paprika and hot stock. Place a lid on the pan and cook for a further 45minutes or until the meat is beautifully tender.