POSH SPICE.

A slow-cooked lamb tagine for all the spice girls and boys out there.

Ever played "if you were a Spice Girl, what would your Spice name be?"

I did a few weeks ago, while in a speeding car in the south island of New Zealand. We had Kiwi Spice ( of course) at the wheel. Then there was Danish Spice, and Shichimi Spice. I was dubbed Curly Spice. Then Terry piped up from the back seat. “I’m Old Spice”.

We probably laughed for the next 50 kilometres (about 5 minutes, the way Kiwi Spice was driving).

Then I came home craving something warm and spicy; something bonded and layered with spices, not just flirting with them. I don’t mean spicy HOT, although that’s not out of the question; I mean a deep, dark undertow of spice; murky and mysterious. (Am now officially changing my Spice Girl name to Mystery Spice).

Slow-cooked lamb tagine to the rescue, this time with a new move. I’ve used typically Moroccan tagine spices but turned them into a dry rub for the lamb before cooking, rather than adding them later.

It works. Not only does the lamb itself taste divine, the spices also miraculously serve to thicken the sauce into something coating, rich and silky.

Tip: Get hold of a good rose harissa to bring some extra heat to the table. The best ones are deeply hot and smoky and fragrant with rose petals and rose oil. I like this one from the Essential Ingredient and this one from Josh and Sue.

Here’s a little reminder of what to serve with the tagine (recipe and tips here).

LAMB TAGINE WITH ZUCCHINI

• 1 kg lamb shoulder meat, cut into 3 cm chunks

• Good pinch of saffron, ground

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp paprika

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, peeled and sliced

• 2 carrots, halved lengthwise then thickly sliced

• 400 g canned tomatoes, chopped

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tsp rose harissa or similar chilli paste or sauce

• 1 tbsp honey

• 500 ml stock or water

• 2 zucchini, thickly sliced

• 10 soft dried apricots

• 10 green olives

• 1 tbsp finely sliced preserved lemon skins

• Half cup parsley and mint leaves, picked

In a bowl, mix the saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and sea salt.

Add the lamb and rub all over to coat in the spice mix, then leave for an hour or more in the fridge.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a heavy pan, and brown half the lamb until well-tanned.

Repeat with 1 tbsp oil and remaining lamb, (but keep the left-over spices).

Heat the oven to 160C.

Fry onion in remaining 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes until softened.

Add carrot, tomatoes, tomato paste, harissa, honey and the left-over spices.

Add the stock or water and bring to a simmer, stirring.

Transfer to an ovenproof casserole, and add the lamb.

Cover and cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours.

Add the zucchini, olives and apricots, and cook for a further 30 minutes or until lamb is tender.

Spoon onto plates, and scatter with parsley, mint and preserved lemon. Serves 4.

Thanks for dropping by! And as always, thanks for your comments and suggestions. Special thanks to Terry for cooking up the lamb tagine and bringing home the harissa. He has now been re-christened Hot Spice accordingly.

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waters upon which I work, live, cook and play; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to Elders past and present, and to the continuing strength and resilience of First Nations people.