A tajine could also be made in a large casserole with a tight fitting lid. As long as it is cooked on very low heat over a long period of time. We followed one of the recipes from the little cooking book that came with the tajine, but I overlooked the fennel bulb on the ingredients list, so ours was without, and we also replaced the 150g chopped dates with dried apricots and prunes.
I think I added the fruit too early to the tajine, and it was starting to fall apart, so removed it after a while and added it back at the end. The tajine cannot be placed on high heat, and therefore the browning of the onions and meat took a little, but the strong spices penetrated the ingredients so much that retrospectively I don't think the browning makes such a big difference. This was the first time we cooked Moroccan food but the recipe was fail-safe, and the tajine turned out absolutely delicious, including the couscous that is not normally my favourite; it's been a while now since we cooked it, and we will soon have another go. There must be endless recipes to try... :-)
Recipe source: the little LE CREUSET TAGINE COOKBOOK that came with the tajine
Makes 4-6 Servings:
Prep time: 25 mins; cooking time: app. 3-3.5 hours
(For 6-8 servings, increase all ingredients by 1/2 and the liquid to 500ml (2 cups)
2 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
650g lamb, cut into thick pieces (original recipe asked for 750g)
1 level tsp (5ml) ground ginger
2 tsp (10ml) ground cumin
2 tsp (10ml) ground coriander
¼ level tsp (1.25ml) cayenne pepper
¼ level tsp (1.25ml) sea salt
7 apricots (app. 75g)
7 prunes (app. 75g)
375ml (1 1/2 cups) water
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
For the couscous:
360ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
240g (1 cup) couscous
Peel the onion, cut it in half and then into very thin slices. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin rounds. Cut the meat into larger cubes.
Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in the tajine over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until they just start to brown, then remove them to a plate.
Turn the heat to medium-high, then add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the tajine, then add the meat and brown it on all sides. Add the spices and the salt and fry for a further 1 min.
Return the fried onion to the tajine. Add the dried prunes and apricots and 190ml (3/4 cup) of the water. Stir well.
Cover with the lid and cook the tajine gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 - 3 ½ hours, or even longer if needed, until the meat is fork-tender.
The spices will thicken the liquid as the dish cooks, so after 1 1/2 hours check and add the remaining water little by little if necessary. If the prunes and apricots get too soft, remove them from the dish and add them back in later towards the end of the cooking time to heat them through.
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil then pour it into a large bowl. Pour the couscous slowly into the bowl, stirring constantly. Cover the bowl and leave to soak for 3 1/2 minutes. Add a knob of butter. Loosen the couscous gently with a fork, stirring in the butter at the same time.
Serve the tajiine inside its beautiful dish, together with the couscous and fresh chopped coriander leaves.
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MOROCCAN LAMB TAJINE WITH PRUNES AND APRICOTS
Makes 4-6 Servings:
Prep time: 25 mins; cooking time: app. 3-3.5 hours
(For 6-8 servings, increase all ingredients by 1/2 and the liquid to 500ml (2 cups)
2 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
650g lamb, cut into thick pieces (original recipe asked for 750g)
1 level tsp (5ml) ground ginger
2 tsp (10ml) ground cumin
2 tsp (10ml) ground coriander
¼ level tsp (1.25ml) cayenne pepper
¼ level tsp (1.25ml) sea salt
7 apricots (app. 75g)
7 prunes (app. 75g)
375ml (1 1/2 cups) water
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
For the Couscous:
360ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
240g (1 cup) couscous
1) Prepare the ingredients: Peel the onion, cut it in half and then into very thin slices. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin rounds. Cut the meat into larger cubes.
2) Fry the onion and garlic: Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in the tajine over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until they just start to brown, then remove them to a plate.
3) Fry the meat: Turn the heat to medium-high, then add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the tajine, then add the meat and brown it on all sides. Add the spices and the salt and fry for a further 1 min.
4) Add the ingredients to the tajine: Return the fried onion to the tajine. Add the dried prunes and apricots and 190ml (3/4 cup) of the water. Stir well.
5) Cook the tajine: Cover with the lid and cook the tajine gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 - 3 ½ hours, or even longer if needed, until the meat is fork-tender. The spices will thicken the liquid as the dish cooks, so after 1 ½ hours check and add the remaining water little by little if necessary. If the prunes and apricots get too soft, remove them from the dish and add them back in later towards the end of the cooking time to heat them through.
6) Make the Couscous: Bring the vegetable stock to a boil then pour it into a large bowl. Pour the couscous slowly into the bowl, stirring constantly. Cover the bowl and leave to soak for 3 1/2 minutes. Add a knob of butter. Loosen the couscous gently with a fork, stirring in the butter at the same time.
7) Serve: Serve the tajiine inside its beautiful dish, together with the couscous and fresh chopped coriander leaves.
2 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
650g lamb, cut into thick pieces (original recipe asked for 750g)
1 level tsp (5ml) ground ginger
2 tsp (10ml) ground cumin
2 tsp (10ml) ground coriander
¼ level tsp (1.25ml) cayenne pepper
¼ level tsp (1.25ml) sea salt
7 apricots (app. 75g)
7 prunes (app. 75g)
375ml (1 1/2 cups) water
fresh coriander leaves to garnish
For the Couscous:
360ml (2 cups) vegetable stock
240g (1 cup) couscous
1) Prepare the ingredients: Peel the onion, cut it in half and then into very thin slices. Peel the garlic and cut it into thin rounds. Cut the meat into larger cubes.
2) Fry the onion and garlic: Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in the tajine over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until they just start to brown, then remove them to a plate.
3) Fry the meat: Turn the heat to medium-high, then add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the tajine, then add the meat and brown it on all sides. Add the spices and the salt and fry for a further 1 min.
4) Add the ingredients to the tajine: Return the fried onion to the tajine. Add the dried prunes and apricots and 190ml (3/4 cup) of the water. Stir well.
5) Cook the tajine: Cover with the lid and cook the tajine gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 - 3 ½ hours, or even longer if needed, until the meat is fork-tender. The spices will thicken the liquid as the dish cooks, so after 1 ½ hours check and add the remaining water little by little if necessary. If the prunes and apricots get too soft, remove them from the dish and add them back in later towards the end of the cooking time to heat them through.
6) Make the Couscous: Bring the vegetable stock to a boil then pour it into a large bowl. Pour the couscous slowly into the bowl, stirring constantly. Cover the bowl and leave to soak for 3 1/2 minutes. Add a knob of butter. Loosen the couscous gently with a fork, stirring in the butter at the same time.
7) Serve: Serve the tajiine inside its beautiful dish, together with the couscous and fresh chopped coriander leaves.
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