Traff brought me back a Tagine from spain about a year and a half ago (IN HIS HAND LUGGAGE! but thats another story of lapse airport security..surely you could hijack a plane with a stone based tagine? even if it shifted in the overhead locker you might accidentally kill a stewardess...)
anyway, he keeps promising to cook a tagine in it and so far we haven't tried it out. this will all change now! this recipe looks amazing!
I really love moroccan cooking- I think it's 2nd place in my top 5:
1)Thai
2)Moroccan
3) italian
4) mexican
5) american diner style food :D melty cheese!
I hope our home cooking can match the amazingness of Borj al Arab in cardiff- or even better the street market in Marrakech!
Serves 4
Preparation time: At least 4 hours
Cooking time: 21/2 hours
Preparation time: At least 4 hours
Cooking time: 21/2 hours
Ingredients
- 1kg diced lamb shoulder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for the tagine)
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 60g sultanas
- 1 tsp saffron
- 750ml vegetable, lamb or chicken stock
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 120g dried apricots, halved
- 3 tbsp flaked almonds
- a handful of coriander, chopped
- a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 450g couscous
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 450ml boiling water
- 25g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for the couscous)
You’ll also need a tagine or a deep casserole dish with a lid.
Method
- Placed the cubed lamb in a deep bowl and sprinkle over half of the dried spices, tossing the meat so that each piece is coated in the aromatics. Cover the bowl with a tea-towel and leave to rest for at least four hours (although overnight would be best).
- When you’re ready to start cooking, place the Tagine on top of your cooker, with a diffuser between the tagine and the heat to spread the heat around the dish and to prevent cracking. If you’re using a casserole dish instead of the clay pot, heat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3.
- Pour the olive oil into the Tagine or your dish and place the dish on a cooking ring, over a medium heat. When the oil has heated up you can add the spice-covered lamb pieces in small batches, browning them on all sides before scooping them out and placing them to one side.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pan with the remaining dried spices and stir them through, allowing the vegetables to soften and colour lightly.
- Add the sultanas, saffron, and apricots, stirring them through the softened onions and spices, then return the meat to the pan.
- Pour the chopped tomatoes and stock into the dish and increase the heat, bringing the contents to the boil.
- Season the stew with salt and black pepper, then cover the dish with a lid – if you’re using a casserole dish you should place the dish in the oven – if you’re using a tagine, reduce the heat – and leave for 21/hours or so.
- Ten minutes before the tagine is cooked, put the couscous and salt into a large bowl and add the boiling water.
- Cover with a tea towel and leave to soak for five minutes.
- Uncover the couscous and fluff up into separate grains with a fork.
- In a separate saucepan, pour in some olive oil and add the butter, melting the butter over a low heat.
- Pour the fluffy couscous into the saucepan and toss in the melted butter, so that the grains are lightly coated.
- Leave the couscous over a low heat fora couple of minutes until its heated through.
- Pour the couscous into a bowl, ready to be served.
- Take the tagine off the heat (or remove from the oven).
- To serve, scatter the chopped coriander and parsley over the top and place the dish on a heat-proof table-mat in the centre of the dining table.
Enjoy!
I have also commandeered a metal teapot to make my mint tea in- it belonged to my grandfather on my fathers side from his travels to syria or tunisia in the 60s. its got his initials stamped on the bottom too!
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