Recipe - Lamb Tagine With Almonds And Sesame

One half cup Butter (1 stick)
3 pound Boneless lamb shoulder
cut in 1 1/2" pieces
2 cup Onion(s), chopped
1 One half cup Water
One fourth teaspoon Saffron threads
1 Cinnamon stick
One fourth pound Pitted prunes
3 tablespoon Honey
2 One fourth teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 cup Blanched slivered almonds
toasted
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds, toasted

Melt cup butter in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Season lamb with
salt and pepper to taste. Working in batches, add lamb to pot and saut
until brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon,
transfer lamb to bowl. Add onion to pot, saut 2 minutes. Return lamb to
pot. Stir in water, saffron, cinnamon stick and cup butter. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally,
about 1 hours.

Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to large bowl. Discard cinnamon stick.
Add pitted prunes to pot and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in 3 tbs honey and
ground cinnamon. Increase heat and boil until mixture resembles thick
syrup, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Return lamb to Dutch oven.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook over low heat until heated through. Spoon onto serving platter.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds and sesame seeds.

Bon Appetite March 1995 Submitted By DIANE LAZARUS On 031495 (0756)