Moroccan Lamb Meatball Tagine

Moroccan Lamb Meatball Tagine...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Kerry Saretsky via Serious Easts.com

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 egg (beat one whole egg and use half)
1 shallot, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons), and 4 shallots, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, plus 10 leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1/4 cup, roughly chopped
3 teaspoons ras el hanout, divided
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon piment d’Espelette or hot paprika or New Mexico red chili powder
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on a bias (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1-1/2 cups canned or homemade low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons golden raisins

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk until the milk is absorbed into bread. Add egg. Add 1 shallot, finely minced, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1-1/2 teaspoons ras el hanout, the piment d’Espelette, and season with salt and pepper. I used a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir together until combined. Add lamb, and gently toss together until evenly mixed. Divide mixture into 8 meatballs. Place flour in a shallow pan. Roll meatballs in flour, patting off excess flour. Reserve any remaining flour.
2) In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium to medium-high heat until oil shimmers. Place floured meatballs into hot oil and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Set meatballs aside, and lower heat. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and sauté on medium-low until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and carrot, and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved flour, and toss to coat vegetables with flour. Add tomato paste, drained tomatoes, beef broth, raisins and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons of ras el hanout. Stir to combine, breaking up whole tomatoes with a fork or back of a spoon. Bring liquid to a boil.
3) Add meatballs back into stew, and top with remaining mint, cilantro, and olive oil. Cover pot with a lid and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Place a lid on the pot, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. After half an hour, remove pot from oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until sauce is very thick, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately with couscous tossed in Meyer lemon olive oil, or just serve with baguette. Yield: 4 servings.

Ras el Hanout

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cardamon
2 teaspoons ground mace
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:
Blend all of the spices in a bowl. Transfer to a glass jar, and store in a dry, dark place. Will keep several months.