Lamb Tagine with Artichokes and Preserved Lemon

Ingredients

• For the M'qualli base
• 1.2 kg lamb shoulder, bone-in, cut into large pieces
• 500 g white onion, finely sliced, confited slowly in olive oil
• 80 ml olive oil
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 0.5 g saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp warm water
• For the artichokes and finishing
• 6 globe artichokes, fully trimmed to the heart, all outer leaves and choke removed
• 2 lemons, halved, for rubbing trimmed artichoke hearts immediately after trimming
• 2 preserved lemon quarters, rind only, pith discarded
• 100 g cracked Moroccan olives

Method

1. 1
   Combine the olive oil and sliced onion in the base of a tagine or heavy-bottomed pot over a low flame, confiting the onion slowly and stirring occasionally until it is entirely soft, translucent, and beginning to melt into the oil — it must not colour, so that the M'qualli base stays pale and golden rather than bitter and dark. Add the ginger and the saffron water and stir to incorporate.
2. 2
   Add the lamb shoulder pieces to the M'qualli base and turn each piece to coat in the saffron-ginger-onion oil, so that the fat carries the spice into every surface of the meat from the outset. Add enough water to come one-third of the way up the meat, cover, and braise over a low, steady heat, turning once or twice, until the lamb approaches tenderness but is not yet falling from the bone — the sauce should be reduced, golden, and fragrant with saffron.
3. 3
   While the lamb braises, trim each globe artichoke: pull away all outer green leaves down to the pale, tender inner leaves, slice away the top third, and scoop out the fibrous choke with a spoon until the heart is completely clean, because any trace of outer leaf or choke will produce a stringy texture that dominates the finished dish. Rub every cut surface immediately and thoroughly with lemon so that the exposed flesh stays ivory-pale rather than turning grey-brown before it reaches the pot.
4. 4
   Remove the lamb pieces temporarily from the pot, then add the trimmed artichoke hearts to the hot M'qualli base and cook them for 5 minutes, turning once, so their cut surfaces briefly set in the saffron-olive-oil medium and absorb its colour and flavour before the lamb returns. The artichoke surface should lose its raw appearance and take on a faint golden tinge from the saffron.
5. 5
   Return the lamb to the pot, nestling it around the artichoke hearts, then cover and continue to braise for 30 minutes. The artichoke hearts are done when a knife tip meets only slight resistance at their centre — they must hold their shape and not yield to pressure on the exterior.
6. 6
   In the final 10 minutes, tuck the preserved lemon rind quarters into the sauce among the lamb and artichokes, adding them late so their bright, salt-fermented character remains vivid rather than cooking away into the background. Add the cracked Moroccan olives at the same moment.
7. 7
   Uncover and taste the sauce — it should carry the full M'qualli register: saffron warmth, ginger, sweet-melted onion, and the sharp-saline edge of preserved lemon, with the artichoke hearts saturated in sauce colour and flavour throughout. Serve directly from the tagine over couscous, with khobz alongside, ensuring each portion receives both lamb and artichoke heart.