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Tihane
Stuffed lamb spleen
Moroccan Eid al-Adha stuffed lamb spleen with olives and preserved lemon
Tihane, or tehal, is an old Eid al-Adha speciality from Moroccan towns such as Fez and Marrakech, made on the days after the sacrifice when the offal is shared out. The lamb's spleen is cut open into a pocket and stuffed with chopped liver and heart, a little fat, green olives, preserved lemon, garlic and cumin, then sewn shut, poached and roasted until browned. It is sliced thin and eaten warm or cold with bread. Ask a halal butcher for the spleen and offal. Chef's tip: prick the spleen with a fine needle before poaching so it doesn't burst in the pot.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 lamb spleenstrimmed
- 9 oz lamb liverfinely chopped
- 7 oz lamb hearttrimmed and finely chopped
- 1 ¾ oz lamb fat or suetfinely chopped
- 2 ⅛ oz green olivespitted and chopped
- 1 tbsp preserved lemon peelfinely chopped
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- ½ oz fresh parsleychopped
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix the 9 oz lamb liver, 7 oz lamb heart, 1 ¾ oz lamb fat or suet, 2 ⅛ oz green olives, 1 tbsp preserved lemon peel, 4 cloves garlic, ½ oz fresh parsley, ½ oz fresh coriander, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper in a bowl. Keep it in the fridge while you prepare the spleens.
10 minStep 2: With a small sharp knife, cut a slit along one long side of each 2 lamb spleens and work the knife inside to make a deep pocket without piercing the other side.
10 minStep 3: Pack the stuffing firmly into the pockets and sew or skewer the openings shut with cocktail sticks and kitchen string. Prick the surface all over with a fine needle. A common mistake is overfilling, which splits the spleen as the stuffing swells.
10 minStep 4: Lower into a pan of gently simmering salted water and poach for 40 minutes without letting it boil hard.
40 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Lift the spleens onto a roasting tin, brush with the 2 tbsp olive oil and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until deep brown and firm. The stuffing must reach 160°F in the centre.
35 minStep 6: Rest for 10 minutes, then slice 1 cm thick. Serve warm or cold with bread and olives.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tihane take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh parsley?
- Fresh coriander or chives, same amount.
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