Hi

Can anyone recommend a recipe for the Tagine i got for christmas?

Cheers

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"Alex" > wrote in message
...
> Hi
>
> Can anyone recommend a recipe for the Tagine i got for christmas?
>
> Cheers
>

Alex > wrote:

> Can anyone recommend a recipe for the Tagine i got for christmas?

Here is a very good lamb tagine recipe I posted before. It is by Paula
Wolfert and comes, complete with her comments and notes, from her Web
site at <http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/mor_tagine.html>.

Victor

Moroccan Lamb Tagine Smothered with Lemon and Olives

No matter what the month, there is a tree somewhere in Morocco bearing
fruit for the tagine pot. The combinations may seem unlikely at times,
but I guarantee you will find them delicious: lamb with olives, quinces,
apples, pears, raisins, prunes, dates, with or without honey, with or
without a complexity of spices.

In the fall, use greening or wine sap apples. In the summer, try fresh
apricots, or the type of hard, fuzzy, green crab apples called, in
Morocco, lehmenn. In winter, I recommend the heavy and rich tagines
made with prunes or dates, and, anytime of the year, lemon and olives.

The combination of lemon and olives is so popular in Morocco that one
ought to regard it as a general theme on which variations, each one
applicable to a specific category of sauce, are possible.
Different-flavored olives work best with specific combinations of
spices. For example, the following multi- spiced classic employs the
green-cracked type of olives, more appropriate here than mellow reddish
purple olives, which are used with sauces made with a combination of
ginger, saffron, and olive oil. In the following recipe, as the sauce
begins to boil, the cracked olives will release some of their juices,
which in turn will thicken the sauce.

Most tagines involve slow simmering of less-expensive meats. The ideal
cuts of lamb are the neck, shoulder or shank cooked until it is falling
off the bone. Very few Moroccan tagines require initial browning; if
there is to be browning it is invariably done after the lamb has been
simmered and the flesh has become butter-tender and very moist. In order
to accomplish this, the cooking liquid must contain some fat. Don't be
concerned by this, later it is all skimmed off.

Serves 6

3 pounds meaty lamb neck chunks, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
pinch of powdered saffron
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fine, freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 sweet paprika
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup grated onions, rinsed and squeezed dry (see note)
2/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup minced fresh coriander
1 pound cracked green olives, drained and pitted if desired
3-5 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice or to taste
1 recipe for moroccan bread

1. Trim the lamb of excess fat. With a mortar and pestle or in a
blender, make a paste of the saffron, ginger, pepper, cumin, paprika,
garlic, salt, and oil. In a 4- or 5-quart casserole toss the lamb with
the spice paste over very low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the onions,
herbs, and 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat,
reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, or until the
meat is very tender and almost falling off the bones. Remove the
casserole from the heat and let it cool. (The recipe can be prepared in
advance to this point- up to 2 days. Cool, cover, and refrigerate.)
Skim off all the fat that rises to the surface.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the olives with cold water to cover.
Bring the water to a boil over high heat and cook for 30 seconds;
drain.

3. About 30 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
With a slotted spoon, remove the lamb from the casserole, cut the meat
from the bones, and place the meat in a shallow ovenproof serving dish.
Bake on the upper shelf of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the
meat is lightly crisped.

4. Meanwhile, add the olives to the juices in the casserole. Boil
over high heat until the juices are reduced to a thick gravy, about 10
minutes. Stir in lemon juice to taste. Season the juices with salt if
necessary. Cover the lamb completely with olives and sauce, and serve
with slices of Moroccan Bread.

Notes to the Cook: The complementary and subtle tastes of the spices can
only be achieved through slow cooking. Certain spices in Moroccan
cooking must be ground fine, so please don't substitute grated fresh
ginger or coarse-ground pepper. It is best to grind the black
peppercorns in a spice mill before using.

The food processor does a fine job of "grating" onions. Cut up 1 or 2
onions and pulse until they are well chopped. Then dump them into a
strainer and rinse under fresh water. Squeeze them dry and measure 3/4
cup.

Use green-cracked olives or Nafplion green olives, often sold in jars in
Greek grocery stores and in many supermarkets under the labels
"Peloponnese," "Krinos," or "Fantis."