Name: Lamb tomato and sweet spices
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 4cm piece finely chopped ginger; 2 cloves peeled and chopped garlic; 800g peeled and chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp caster sugar; 50 vine leaves; 1 large fennel bulb; 400g lamb mince; 1 medium onion; 1 small peeled and coarsely grated potatoes; 2 tbsp basmati rice; 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 2 tbsp chopped coriander; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 cloves garlic; ½ tsp ground clove; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 2 medium tomatoes

Lamb

4 servings

467 cal/serving

Instructions

Step 1

Trim stalks from the vine leaves and, if large, cut them to about 12 by 12 cm; drain the brine, immerse in boiling water for 10 minutes and dry on a tea towel

Vine leaves

Step 2

Combine lamb mince, chopped onion, coarsely grated potato, basmati rice, chopped parsley, chopped coriander, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic and the ground clove and cinnamon in a bowl

Lamb minceOnionPotatoesBasmati riceChopped parsleyCorianderLemon juiceGarlicCloveCinnamon

Step 3

Cut the tomatoes in half, coarsely grate them into the bowl discarding the skins, add salt and pepper and stir; refrigerate up to a day if desired

Tomatoes

Step 4

Gently squeeze the filling by hand and drain away any juices before using

Step 5

Heat the olive oil in a medium pan, add the ginger and garlic and cook briefly, then add the chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp lemon juice and caster sugar, season and simmer for 20 minutes

Olive oilGingerGarlicTomatoesLemon juiceCaster sugar

Step 6

Use any torn or broken vine leaves to line the base of a wide heavy saucepan, trim fennel leaves, slice the fennel vertically about 0.5 cm thick and spread over the base to cover completely

Vine leavesFennel bulb

Step 7

Lay a prepared vine leaf veiny side up, place two teaspoons of filling at the base, fold the sides over the filling and roll tightly from bottom to top, place seam down in the pan and repeat tightly with the remaining leaves

Vine leaves

Step 8

Pour the prepared sauce over the stuffed leaves (add water only if needed to just cover), place a plate on top to weigh down, cover with a lid, bring to the boil then simmer gently for 70 minutes until most liquid has evaporated

Step 9

Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly

Step 10

Bring the pan to the table and serve vine leaves and fennel slices with warm basmati rice, spoon the braising juices on top and garnish with chopped coriander

Vine leavesFennel bulbBasmati riceCoriander