Meatball Tagine with Lemon & Olives

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins

3 medium - onions

1lb 2oz - lean minced (ground) lamb

2 - lemons

1 teaspoon - ground cumin

1 teaspoon - ground cinnamon

pinch - cayenne pepper

small bunch - flat-leaf parsley

- salt and pepper

2 tablespoons - olive oil

thumb-sized piece - fresh ginger

1 - red chilli

pinch - saffron strands

8½ fl oz - lamb stock

1 tablespoon - tomato purée (concentrated tomato paste)

4 oz - pitted black kalamata olives

small bunch - fresh coriander

Peel the onions, chop thrm roughly, place them in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Zest one of the lemons and squeeze the juice (you need both). Chop the parsley, peel and grate the ginger, deseeded and finely chop the chilli and chop the coriander.
Put the minced (ground) lamb, lemon zest, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, parsley and half the onions in a large bowl, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Using your hands, mix until everything is well combined, then shape into walnut-sized balls.
Heat the oil in a large flameproof dish, or flameproof tagine with a lid, then add the remaining onions, grated ginger, chilli and saffron. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onion is softened and starting to colour. Add the lemon juice, lamb stock, tomato purée and olives, then bring to the boil. Add the meatballs, one at a time, then reduce the heat, cover with the lid and cook for 20 minutes at a gentle simmer, turning the meatballs a couple of times to ensure they are evenly cooked.
Remove lid, cut the second lemon into quarters and add the lemon wedges and the fresh coriander, tucking them in between the meatballs. Cook, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced and thickened slightly. Serve hot with couscous or fresh crusty bread.