Tagine of lamb & merguez sausages

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground cumin 
• 1 tsp chili powder hot
• 2 large onion red roughly chopped
• 3  garlic clove 
• 1 piece ginger roughly chopped
• 200 ml olive oil 
• 200 ml juice of lemon ( 4 lemons)
• 1 tbsp honey 
• 1 large handful parsley roughly chopped
• 1 large handful cilantro leaves roughly chopped
• 6  lamb shanks (if using shoulder ask the butcher to cut it into 10cm chunks on the bone)
• 4 tbsp olive oil 
• 2  carrots sliced
• 2  onion red sliced
• 12  prune- cut to pieces dried
• 0.5  juice of lemon 
• 8  sausage 
• 2  simple preserved lemons homemade bought rinsed finely sliced (see recipe below)
• 2  mint leaves 
• 8 servings harissa (see recipe below)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• blender
• aluminum foil
• tajine pot

Directions

1. For the marinade, roast the spices in a dry pan for a couple mins until fragrant. Put remaining marinade ingredients in a blender and process to a smooth paste, then add the roast spices and blend again to combine.
2. Place the lamb in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Leave in the paste overnight, or for at least 2 hrs to absorb all the flavours.
3. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas
4. In a large roasting tin, big enough to fit the meat in one single layer, heat the oil and place over a high heat on the hob.
5. Remove the meat from the marinade, wiping off and reserving any excess, then brown shanks on all sides in the hot oil.
6. Add remaining marinade to the dish along with the carrots, onions and prunes, then pour in 1 litre water. Cover the dish tightly with foil and cook in a low oven for 3-4 hrs until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone.
7. Add the honey, lemon juice and seasoning and keep warm.
8. If using, fry the sausages until cooked through, then add to the tagine.
9. Serve the meat in a large bowl with the sauce spooned over, then scatter with the preserved lemons and mint, and serve the harissa on the side.