Tagine with Pears and Dried Fruits

Ingredients

• 1 organic lemon
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 pears - peeled, cored, and quartered
• 8 pitted prunes
• 8 dried apricots
• ¼ cup blanched whole almonds

Step 1

Lightly heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While it warms up, wash a lemon and carefully peel it with a knife, trying to keep the peel in one long strip. Squeeze the juice from half the lemon into a small saucepan, then add some honey, a cinnamon stick, and a split vanilla bean. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 5 minutes until it becomes fragrant and syrupy.

Step 2

Arrange your pears standing upright in a tagine or similar oven-safe dish. Nestle prunes, apricots, almonds, and the lemon peel around and on top of the pears as needed. Pour the lemon syrup over everything, making sure the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean halves end up in the dish. Cover it up and pop it in the oven.

Step 3

Let it cook for 20 minutes, then carefully remove the cover—try to let any condensation drip back inside. Turn the pears over and sprinkle pine nuts on top. Cover it back up and cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 4

Finally, turn the oven off but leave the tagine inside for about 10 minutes. This gives the sauce time to thicken slightly. When you’re ready, serve it up and enjoy!