Slow-cooked lamb, warm spices, dried fruit and saffron come together in this deeply nourishing tagine – rich, fragrant, and made for cooler days when the oven becomes the heart of the kitchen. The sweetness of apricots and dates melts into the sauce as the lamb cooks gently until tender, while a quick rose petal pickle adds a subtle floral lift and acidity that cuts through the richness beautifully.

This is a dish designed for sharing. It improves with time, fills the house with the kind of aroma that signals comfort and abundance, and pairs perfectly with simple accompaniments like rice, couscous or flatbreads.

Recipe & styling Amber Rose, Photo Greta Kenyon

For the Tagine

• 1 lamb shoulder, cut into large bite-sized chunks (approx. 1.3 kg)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tbsp ground or fresh turmeric
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne chilli powder
• 3 yellow onions, finely chopped
• Olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600 ml tomato juice
• 2 × 400 g tins cherry tomatoes
• 100 g flaked almonds
• 60 g sultanas or raisins
• 120 g dried apricots, halved
• 60 g dried dates, pitted and halved
• 1 ½ tsp saffron threads
• 700 ml lamb stock or bone broth
• A squeeze of runny honey
• A handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• A handful of coriander, roughly chopped

For the Quick Rose Petal Pickle

• 1 cup fresh, unsprayed rose petals (or dried petals)
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp golden caster sugar 
• A pinch of sea salt

Make the Rose Petal Pickle

Place the rose petals into a glass or ceramic bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour the warm pickling liquid over the petals. Leave at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Make the Tagine

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place a large, heavy-based casserole dish with a lid over high heat. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant.

Add all the spices and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly to toast them gently. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a separate large frying pan, brown the lamb in batches in a little olive oil, ensuring the pan isn’t overcrowded. Once browned, deglaze the pan with half of the tomato juice, scraping up any caramelised bits. Transfer the lamb and tomato juices to the casserole dish. Add the remaining tomato juice, cherry tomatoes, almonds, dried fruit, saffron, stock and a light squeeze of honey. Stir well. Cover with the lid and place in the oven. Cook for 2 ½ hours, or until the lamb is meltingly tender.

Scatter over the chopped parsley and coriander. Serve with a teaspoon of rose petal pickle per portion.

Best enjoyed with rice, couscous or warm flatbreads, and even better the next day.