Lamb tagine with peas, beans and asparagus

Lamb tagine with peas, beans and asparagus

This dish celebrates many of the stunning spring ingredients that arrive at the Market at this time of year, and is especially good with fresh young peas and broad beans.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1kg shoulder of Welsh lamb from Rhug Estate

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 red onions, chopped

1 fat clove of garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon fresh root ginger, grated

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 tablespoon honey from Sicily in London

250g fresh peas, shelled from Turnips

250g young broad beans, podded

6 asparagus spears from Ted's Veg

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon fresh coriander

Preparation method

Cut the lamb into good bite sized pieces. Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and when hot fry the lamb quickly in small batches, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go, allowing the meat to seal and brown all over. 

Remove the lamb and add the onions and garlic to the pan, cook gently until softened then add the ginger, cumin and lemon zest and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Return the lamb to the pan, mix in the honey and add enough water to just cover the meat.  Bring to the boil then simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

When the lamb is cooked add the peas, broad beans and asparagus spears and simmer for a further five minutes until the vegetables are just cooked.

To finish lift the lamb and vegetables onto a serving dish and keep warm. Return the pan to the heat, check the seasoning of the sauce and adjust if necessary, add the lemon juice and then reduce the sauce until it becomes syrupy. 

Spoon the sauce over the lamb and spring vegetables and scatter over the chopped coriander.