Tagine - Help!!

[bitchstewie]

I seem to have found myself with a tin of chopped tomatoes, some lamb steaks, and a pouch of Waitrose Tagine Sauce (sorry Lidl ) http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?...

I'm off into town in a bit - I had no idea dried apricots were so expensive so I was hoping to do without them.

I'm sure their absence won't result in something truly nasty but any suggestions on anything worth adding to the mixture?

Also how to cook - I've seen lots of suggestions from "low heat for hours" to simply brown the lamb and simmer for a while.

Thanks

[calibrax]

Read the back of the Waitrose pouch?

[bitchstewie]

calibrax said:

Read the back of the Waitrose pouch?

Nothing useful just says to add tomatoes and dried apricots and slow cook.

There are tons of recipes, just hadn't counted on dried apricots costing more than the bloody meat

Nigel Slater's recipe seems to suggest fresh apricots may work and I'm sure I saw those at Lidl so if I can't find dried ones for less than £4 in town I'll try that and/or sultanas I think.

[truck71]

I use this recipe for tagine and love it, see what you've got and what you haven't and adjust. Fruit is very much part of it, as with any dish with layers of flavour you can't really skimp it.

[bitchstewie]

truck71 said:

I use this recipe for tagine and love it, see what you've got and what you haven't and adjust. Fruit is very much part of it, as with any dish with layers of flavour you can't really skimp it.

Thanks, I figure I'm not going to be too disappointed either way, just don't want to fk it up completely.

Any suggestions on lower cost fruit/veg that works well? I'm hardly tight but I'm buggered if I'm paying £4 for a pack of dried fruit.

[KungFuPanda]

Try some fat, juicy sultanas or prunes instead. They'll add the same depth of sweetness.

[truck71]

bhstewie said:

Thanks, I figure I'm not going to be too disappointed either way, just don't want to fk it up completely.

Any suggestions on lower cost fruit/veg that works well? I'm hardly tight but I'm buggered if I'm paying £4 for a pack of dried fruit.

I buy fruit and veg from local asian/ middle eastern supermarkets in either Hounslow or Shepherds Bush, never a supermarket- poor quality and high prices regardless of the name on the shop. EG, vine tomatoes at £0.69 per kilo at a local Indian place. Depends where you are and what the options are, I put my rucksack on get on my bike and go hunting/ gathering.

[bitchstewie]

truck71 said:

I buy fruit and veg from local asian/ middle eastern supermarkets in either Hounslow or Shepherds Bush, never a supermarket- poor quality and high prices regardless of the name on the shop. EG, vine tomatoes at £0.69 per kilo at a local Indian place. Depends where you are and what the options are, I put my rucksack on get on my bike and go hunting/ gathering.

Small town so mostly the usual suspect - rucksack's going on now - I'm hoping Aldi or Lidl will save me here.

[21TonyK]

Personally I hate fruit in tagines. Spoon of apricot jam or some left over mango chutney is more than enough for me.

Love toasted almonds or pine nuts for texture though.

Oh... and don't like carrots, sweet potato either.

Needs chickpeas and proper ras el hanout and harissa, and lots of fresh coriander and preserved lemons.

[bitchstewie]

Bagged the last pack of fresh apricots from Aldi for 69p - couldn't find dried for less than £4 anywhere.

[Murph7355]

Dried apricots are a definite.

Freshly toasted almonds are good as a garnish (coriander too).

Rose harissa paste if you like a bit of kick is really, really nice too. Stir a teaspoon of it into your mix while it's cooking (it's more spicy than you think so don't overdo it).

Serve it with couscous (possibly subjecting myself to howls of derision, but the Ainsley Moroccan one is actually pretty good).

Next time don't bother with the packet sauce - made from scratch in a slow cooker it's dead easy and you can play with the recipe a bit.