A Lamb Tagine Recipe Perfect For Your Slow Cooker

When we think of American comfort food, the first things that tend to come to kind are pizza, steak, or maybe even a roast chicken. Lamb, however, might not be most Americans' first idea of comfort food. But we're here to make a case for it! Consider the luxe treatment of this under-appreciated protein: lavishly seasoned with the best of the Moroccan spice cabinet, bolstered with golden raisins and fresh ginger, and braised in a slow cooker with a flavorful broth until falling apart. Serve it all up over a soft bed of golden couscous with a ladle of the braising liquid and you begin to understand why lamb is one of the world's most popular meats. Sounds pretty comforting, no? Well, don't take our word for it, see for yourself by slow-cooking yourself this delicious juicy meal and take a poll with all your guests. Our best guess is that 9 out of 10 will feel pretty comforted, and the 10th will be too comfortable to take part in the vote at all. Dig in!

Nutrition: 440 calories, 25 g fat (10 g saturated), 460 mg sodium

Serves 8

You'll Need

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lb lamb stewing meat (from shoulder or leg)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 large onions, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 3⁄4" pieces
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp cumin
1 stick cinnamon (or 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon)
1⁄4 tsp cayenne
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas
¼ golden raisins
2 cups cooked couscous
Chopped cilantro6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

How to Make It

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper and cook for about 7 minutes, until nicely browned on all sides.
3. Transfer the lamb to a slow cooker. Add the stock to the pan and scrape up any brown bits, then pour over the lamb.
4. Add the onions, carrots, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne to the cooker.
5. Cook on the high setting for 4 hours (or the low setting for 8), until the lamb is falling apart.
6. Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the chickpeas and raisins.
7. Discard the cinnamon stick if using.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.
9. Serve the tagine over the couscous and garnish with cilantro.

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