Tajine lahlou with prunes and dried apricots
The lamb tajine with prunes and dried apricots is one of Morocco's best-known dishes, along with the sweet and savoury pastilla or the seafood pastilla. It is as popular as couscous or Moroccan roast chicken. It's an exceptional and festive dish. It is very popular for both small and large occasions.
Moroccan tagine with prunes and dried apricots
In Algeria, it is called tajine hlou or lahlou, a term meaning sweet, and is very popular during Ramadan. This dish is slightly sweetened with prunes and dried apricots cooked with a little sugar and cinnamon.
For my part, I try to use good quality prunes such as those from Agen and good quality dried apricots, which I cook without adding sugar and with just a little powdered cinnamon or cinnamon stick.
What meat should I choose for the prune and dried apricot tagine?
It's best made with leg or shoulder of lamb, which has more flavour and is a very tender and tasty meat. However, many people opt for veal or beef, which is less fatty.
The tajine is no less tasty if the cooking time and choice of meat are respected. Choose pieces of veal shank or shoulder, which cook more quickly and are tender.
You can garnish this hlou meat tagine with a mixture of prunes, dried apricots and toasted blanched almonds, either just prunes and almonds or dried apricots and almonds. You can also sprinkle the prunes with a few toasted sesame seeds.
You can accompany this tagine with small Moroccan salads that are very easy to make, such as grilled pepper and tomato salad, aubergine zaalouk, carrots with chermoula, taktouka, potato salad, parsley and garlic salad, etc...
How do you cook a good lamb tagine with prunes?
Slow cooking over a low heat is my favourite. It reminds me of my grandmother, who used to bring out her big pot for large receptions, which could hold up to a sheep. For her, it was inconceivable to cook over an electric or gas fire, let alone use a pressure cooker. For her, it was the lazy woman's method.
She would get up early and cook the meat slowly over a wood or coal fire.  The meat would simmer slowly with very little sauce, which is the advantage of this method of cooking. The meat became very melting and tasty with a little creamy sauce.
Sometimes towards the end, she would place a few coals on the lid. The meat would turn a beautiful golden colour, as if it had just come out of the oven.
Sometimes, to rediscover this taste, I remove the cooked pieces of meat and brown them in the oven before serving.
I have seen recipes for this dish with tomato and/or garlic, but the real sweet and savoury lamb tagine with prunes does not contain any and has no spices other than ginger, pepper, cinnamon and saffron.
This lamb tagine contains no parsley, coriander or other herbs. The tomato would add acidity and a red colour, whereas we want a golden yellow colour. Garlic is not suitable, as its strong flavour will overpower the taste of the meat.  It also doesn't go well with the sweetness of the dried fruit.
How do I cut the meat for this tagine?
You can cut the meat into small pieces, but it's best to cut pieces weighing at least 150g. When cooked, they keep their shape and are more presentable. For ceremonies, the pieces of meat are much larger, up to 500 g.
In the Moroccan tradition, whether you are 5 or 12 people, you eat from the same plate.  Nowadays, each person is served on his or her own plate, which is why you need to have small enough pieces of meat to be able to serve it easily.
If you really want to use parsley and coriander, they should be in bunches and not chopped. The meat tagine with prunes should have a smooth, honey-like sauce thanks to the juices from the meat and onion. The sauce should remain clear and contain no trace of chopped herbs.
How to present the lamb tagine with prunes and dried apricots?
Place the meat in a dish or divide between several plates. Pour a little of the hot, creamy sauce over the top and sides. Garnish with prunes, dried apricots and a few almonds. Serve immediately.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for a meat dish with prunes, dried apricots and almonds, and that it inspires you to try it again.