Lamb Tagine With Olives Image Used Under Creative Commons License From myrecipes.com
Citizens, the tagine is one of the world’s great stew dishes, as well as the name of the cooking utensil it is cooked in!
Tagine is an ancient originally North African Berber dish – it’s a succulent stew made of meats and vegetables and traditionally cooked in a conical clay pot to allow the steam to rise, condense, and drip back down to the stew.
The traditional method of cooking is to place the tagine over coals, and typically the dish includes meat, chicken or fish, and most often vegetables or fruit. As this meal takes a long time to prepare, preparation of the lunch tagine begins as soon as breakfast is over.
There are several theories on the origin of the word tajine:
from Berber tajin meaning “the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked”.
from Persian tah-chin ته چین meaning “laid at the bottom [of the pan]”, referring to the way it is cooked. Tahchin is a Persian food made with rice and meat (chicken or beef). (See Tunisian tajine below and Persian tahchin)
from Persian tayān تیان meaning skillet or large pan. This word is Arabicized as ṭājin (طاجن) and ṭayjin (طيجن) and ṭajīn (طجين).
from Ancient Greek: τάγηνον (tagēnon), “frying-pan, saucepan”.
The traditional tagine pottery, sometimes painted or glazed, consists of two parts: a circular base unit that is flat with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to return all condensation to the bottom.
Tagine is traditionally cooked over hot charcoal leaving an adequate space between the coals and the tagine pot to avoid having the temperature rise too quickly. Large bricks of charcoal are used, specifically for their ability to stay hot for hours.
Other methods are to use a tagine in a slow oven or on a gas or electric stove top, on the lowest heat necessary to keep the stew simmering gently. A diffuser, a circular utensil placed between the tagine and the flame, is used to evenly distribute the stove’s heat.
European manufacturers have created tagines with heavy cast-iron bottoms that can be heated on a cooking stove to a high temperature, which permits the browning of meat and vegetables before cooking.
Tagine cooking may be replicated by using a slow cooker or similar item, but the result will be slightly different. Many ceramic tagines are decorative items as well as functional cooking vessels. Some tagines, however, are intended only to be used as decorative serving dishes.
Moroccan and Algerian tagine dishes are slow-cooked savory stews, typically made with sliced meat, poultry or fish together with vegetables or fruit. Spices, nuts, and dried fruits are also used. Common spices include ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron. Paprika and chili are used in vegetable tagines.
The sweet and sour combination is common in tagine dishes like lamb with dates and spices. Tagines are generally served with bread. As the domed or cone-shaped lid of the tagine pot traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a minimal amount of water is needed to cook meats and vegetables. This method of cooking is practical in areas where water supplies are limited or where public water is not yet available.
My version of this ancient dish is made with lamb, olives and a good hit of lemon – it is both delicious and ruthlessly traditional, I hope you enjoy it, my Citizens! It incorporates my ultimate Ras-el-hanout spice blend, but I also provide a simpler blend if you so choose!
Battle on – The Generalissimo
Ingredients
- Spice Blend: either:
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 large pinch saffron
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- or preferably use 8 teaspoons of the Hirshon Ras-el-Hanout blend & a large pinch of saffron
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- Tagine:
- 5 carrots, peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise into thin strips
- 1 cup grated yellow onions, rinsed and squeezed dry
- 1 lemon, zested
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups dark veal or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1" piece of peeled fresh ginger, grated
- 1 pound cracked green olives, drained and pitted - TFD prefers castelvetrano olives
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅔ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
- ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Couscous, cooked to your preferred recipe
Instructions
- In the cup of a small food processor, combine the spice blend plus the garlic and grated ginger and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Process until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, toss the shoulder with the above mixture. Mix well.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in large cast iron or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the lamb and sear for 2 to 3 minutes, in 1/3 batches, and remove.
- Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced garlic and grated ginger; continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the pot (add extra oil if needed) and stir in the lemon zest, broth, tomato paste and honey.
- Season with pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock. Add the herbs and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Remove any scum that has risen to the surface of the liquid.
- Add the olives to the cooking liquid, increase the heat to high and boil for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is similar to a thick gravy. Stir in the lemon juice in portions to taste and re-season if necessary.
- About 30 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and remove the lamb from the pot. Place the meat in a shallow ovenproof serving dish and cook until the meat is lightly crisped, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the lamb with the couscous and the sauce. Garnish with parsley.
