A couple years ago, my best friends had a destination wedding in Las Vegas. It was the BEST wedding ever. Most of us stayed in the same hotel. We were in the suite with the bride and groom aka where the party was. Guys, let me tell you: Vegas is a magical, wonderful place. There’s so much to do. There is so much food everywhere. The lights, the shows, the art, the people. It’s one of those places where you can dress and express yourself however you want and no one will look twice.
We started the vacation by staying at an interesting AirBnb. We had picked it because the wife was Thai. I being Thai myself, told my boyfriend we must absolutely book this one. There will be a hot meal for us as soon as we land. And sure enough we walked in the door and there were plates of food on the coffee table. Panang curry and various other dishes. The wife used to be a chef in Thailand. See I know what’s up.
Then we spent the first part of the vacation hiking and the second part eating. We drove to Death Valley and Red Rock Canyon. While in Pahrump, Terence picked out a taco place. We arrived and it was a small stand inside of a gas station convenience store. I was skeptical. Of course they were some of the best tacos I’ve ever had. Shady, but excellent.
The next day we drove back to Vegas and went to Chinatown and had amazing ramen and went to an izakaya. The wedding dinner the next day was held at Bacchanal Buffet. There were so many choices it was overwhelming. We all stuffed ourselves so much, we wanted to pass out at the table. On top of that, the newlyweds ordered the drink package with the buffet. I was in heaven. It was the first time I tasted lamb tagine and I was sold. I wanted to keep going back for more but there were just so many other things to try. After tasting it, I knew I had to learn how to make it.
If you’re not into gambling, you can still give Vegas a try. The food won’t disappoint. I can’t wait to get back.
Lamb Tagine
Ingredients
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 lamb shoulder, cut into 6 pieces
- salt and pepper
- 4 tbs olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbs all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbs honey
- 2 carrots, cut into 1/2 in pieces
- 1 bunch cilantro, divided
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a small bowl, mix the paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, ginger, coriander, and cinnamon.
- Cover the lamb pieces with salt and pepper.
- In a dutch oven, heat 2 tbs of oil on medium heat. Sear the lamb pieces until browned on all sides. You may have to do this in batches to avoid crowding the pot. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tbs of oil. Add the onions and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they start to develop a little color. Sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt halfway through cooking.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and spices, cooking until the flour has absorbed into the mixture. If your pot is starting to get dry you can add more oil. Add about 1/4-1/2 cup of stock (just a splash). It will get all bubbly and foamy. Start scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the brown bits. Add the rest of the stock as well as the honey, carrots, and 1/2 a bunch of cilantro and the lamb. You can tie the cilantro together with twine so it's easier to remove later.
- Cover with lid and place in oven for about 2-3 hours. I did the lower range of the cooking time. About one hour in, taste the braising liquid and add salt if necessary. Turn the lamb over a few times during cooking. Remove the lid and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
- Chop up the rest of the cilantro. Garnish over finished lamb along with a squeeze of lemon juice.