Entertain at home: Moroccan lamb tagine with a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon

You’ll need: ±1.5 kg lamb neck, cut into 5cm pieces; 2 tsp salt; olive oil; 2 cups lamb or chicken stock; 1 cup dried apricots; 2 large white onions, thinly sliced; 2 Tbsp tomato paste; 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated; 2 cinnamon sticks; ¼ cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped; 2 cups couscous, plain or spiced; 2 cups chicken stock; fresh lemon wedges, to serve; ½ cup flaked almonds, toasted, to serve; fresh coriander, to serve.

To make the Moroccan tagine spice mix: 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ½ tsp ground turmeric; generous pinch of saffron; ¼ tsp ground cardamom; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

How to:

Whisk all spices for the spice mix together and set aside.

In a large bowl, season the lamb with salt and olive oil. Allow sitting at room temperature for an hour.

Preheat oven to 160˚C. In a large ovenproof pot/ Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, heat a drizzle of olive oil.

Working in batches, sear the lamb on both sides until well browned. Transfer pieces to a tray as they brown. Drain any excess fat, leaving enough behind to cook the onions.

Add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until very soft and golden brown. Make sure to scrape off any caramelised lamb bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.

Add tomato paste, ginger, cinnamon sticks and the spice mix. Cook until fragrant. Return lamb and any lamb juices in the tray back to the pot.

Pour in the stock. Scatter the apricots around and sprinkle over the coriander. Cover the pot with its lid, and cook in the oven for 2 ½ – 3 hours, or until the lamb is very tender. (Every hour of cooking time- give the lamb a good stir.)

To make the couscous – add the chicken stock to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the couscous. Give it a quick stir. Cover the pot with a lid and switch off the heat. After about 5 minutes fluff couscous with a fork.

To serve, transfer lamb to a serving dish. Top with toasted almonds and fresh coriander.

Serve with lemon wedges, couscous and a glass of FAT bastard Cabernet Sauvignon.

About the wine:

It is made from carefully selected grapes to produce a wine with pure fruit character. All fruit is hand-harvested at optimum ripeness and gently pressed to retain aroma and flavour. The wine is aged in small oak barrels, which adds greater weight and complexity. ts unapologetically intense aromas of blackcurrant and brambly wild fruit lead promisingly to rich flavours of ripe cassis and chocolate with a hint of earthiness.

The FAT bastard Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is privileged to have won a Gold Award from Gold Wine Awards 2019, which showcases excellent wines.

Details:fatbastardwine.co.za