Posts Tagged "tajine"
Visiting Some Old Favorites
On the weekends I usually take a little more time to prepare larger meals and favorite foods. For me during the week it’s just too hard to keep up and I’m usually too tired for any major cooking after a day at work. I try and circumvent a lot of this stress by cooking a little more on the weekend and freezing food to use during the week. If this isn’t a technique you use I highly recommend it. Just about anything can be frozen from breads to soups, desserts and baked goods. If you don’t use your freezer but would like to, leave me a comment below. If there’s interest I’ll do a post about how I cook for my freezer.
The meal plan for tomorrow;
Suhoor: A great high protein breakfast during fasting is oatmeal. I love baked oatmeal because it has an added flavor that you just can’t get from the instant kind. I’ve used this recipe for Amish Baked Oatmeal from Taste of Home several times. You can freeze leftovers in individual portions for re-heating. When re-heating use whatever toppings appeal to you. Fruit, nuts, and honey are some great ideas.
Iftar: You probably have a little left over harira. Heat that up for iftar today and serve with rghaif, MarocBaba’s favorite and a staple I make en mass during Ramadan. It’s a little time consuming so if you do decide to make it – just make plenty. To save freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes and slide into a Ziploc bag. Freezing individually keeps them from sticking together in the bag.
Dinner: From one of my past guest posts Amnah’s Meatball Tajine is a great dinner meal that can be prepared ahead of time and finished when ready to eat. I think you’ll like it as much as I do! Serve with a side of roasted baby red tomatoes prepared with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.
Read MoreLamb Tajine with Peas and Potatoes
What’s sweeter than fresh sweet peas (in super sweet little hands nonetheless)? On a recent trip to the farmer’s market I was very happy to see tables bulging with these beautiful peas. As the first of the season some pods were full of plump peas while others were minimal. While at the market I also picked up some lamb chops from a local organic farm, stalks of green garlic and bunches of mint and flat-leaf parsley. I know exactly what I was going to make.
I’ve been wanting to make some tajines in my tajine pot instead of the pressure cooker. While I love the speed a pressure cooker affords, sometimes I find dishes cooked that way lack the character and flavors that cooking in a clay tajine provides. My smaller vessel has a crack in it from heating it up too fast when I was nieve in the ways of clay. Instead of tossing it I use it for serving and in this instance a little improvisation. I always use a heat diffuser now, a circular piece of metal that goes between the burner and the tajine. I also had the idea to use a piece of aluminum as a barrier to the crack in the bottom of the tajine. I put it around the outside of the bottom piece. (It worked fantastically!!! No leaks!) I then filled it like this.
**Tajine for 3-4 people, cooked in a small tajine. This can be easily doubled to feed more people
Ingredients
- 3-4 lamb chops with extra fat trimmed
- 4 red potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
- 1/2 c shelled fresh green peas
- 6-8 cloves of fresh garlic
- 1 medium onion chopped finely
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- 2-3 mint leaves
- 1/2 preserved lemon
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp water
Directions
In the bottom of a tajine add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and the chopped onions to form your base. Place the lamb shanks in the middle of the tajine, as flat as possible. Arrange potatoes around the lamb chops.
Spread the peas around the tajine. Some in the middle, around the edges – anywhere they will fit! Cut the preserved lemon into several pieces and slip in and around the tajine, making sure some are sitting on the lamb. Do the same thing with the garlic cloves. Finally sprinkle the cumin, pepper, and turmeric all around the tajine. Chop up the parsley and mint leaves and sprinkle all over the top of the tajine. Finally pour the 2 tbsp of water over the top of the dish.
Cover up the tajine and place on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Leave it alone now. This took about 2 1/2 hours to cook all the way through. The lamb should be very tender, falling apart and the potatoes soft. During the cooking process you can check how things are coming along. Use a spoon to scoop up sauce that is forming at the bottom of the tajine and pour on top of the vegetables and meat. This adds some extra flavor.
When it’s all done it should look a little bit like this. Creamy potatoes, delicious sauce and super tender lamb. Yum. Yum.
I did not have to encourage MarocBaba to eat this. He dug right in. His first comment was, “where did you learn to make a tajine from Ourika?” Say what?! This was my own creation but apparently the flavors and ingredients are akin to a dish that is found in the Ourika valley outside of Marrakech. I must be channeling my inner Maghrebi.
All that was left……
What are some of your favorite early summer ingredients for cooking?
Read MoreGuest Post: Amnahs’ Moroccan Meatball Tagine
Today’s guest post is from a new blogging buddy of mine. Amnah is an absolute darling and I have really enjoyed getting to know her. She is a fellow contributor at American Muslim Mom and is the mom I wish I could be! You should really stop by her blog, Little Life of Mine for more food, adorable pictures and activities with her beautiful girls. Connect with Amnah on her site, Twitter or Facebook.
Visiting Morocco has been on the top of my travel wish list for as far back as I can remember. In fact it comes in at number one, two, and three, just in case if my husband ever doubts my desire to travel there. To me it is the ultimate destination that I believe would provide the romantic, historical, and adventurous aspects of an amazing vacation. The architecture and vibrant use of colors always take my breath away. I’m certain the atmosphere of Moroccan souks are just as movies portray them: exotic, mysterious, and a feast for the senses. The traditional clothing with it’s old world charm is so beautiful that you just can’t help but be taken back to another time.
It’s when my mind drifts to the foods that I would consume there, my stomach begins to rumble and my fingers start to itch with the urge to start searching for a ticket to book. Plentiful and flavorful spices enhance every dish. Fresh fruits and vegetables jewel the plates with their natural colors. Couscous makes the perfect landing for a saucy tagine. All downed with a refreshing mint tea. Oh my, what’s not to love?
I live vicariously through Amanda and her recipes. I enjoy her images from Morocco and hearing about her experiences. I’ve found a wonderful friend in Amanda despite never having “met” her. I pray our first meeting is in a busy and loud Moroccan souk. A fez may or may not be involved.
Moroccan Meatball Tagine with Herb and Lemon Sauce {via Cooking Moroccan}
Meatballs:
½ onion, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, roughly chopped
2 slices, crusts removed
1 egg
1 pound ground beef or lamb
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Herb and Lemon Sauce:
4 teaspoons butter or oil
½ onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
To make meatballs:
Put the onion in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Tear bread into pieces, add to the onion, along with the egg, and process briefly. Add the beef or lamb, cumin, paprika, and 1 teaspoon salt and process to a thick paste, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally.
Alternatively, grate the onion , chop the parsley, crumb the bread, and add to the meat in a bowl with the egg, spices, and seasoning. Knead until the mixture is paste like in consistency.
With moistened hands, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on tray. Cover and refrigerate until required.
To make herb and lemon sauce:
Heat the butter or oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook over low heat until softened and golden. Then add the paprika, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Add the meatballs to the pan, shaking so that they settle into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add most of the parsley and lemon juice and season further if necessary. Return to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a tagine or bowl, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve hot.
Beef and Chickpea Tajine
After I had my youngest son I became very anemic. I was tired all the time and I felt like every little ounce of energy I had was being sapped out of my system. I chalked this up to having a 3 year old and a newborn but a post-partum visit revealed that my iron levels were very low. I’ve never really enjoyed red meat, aside from a great steak now and then but the doctor also told me one of the best ways to get a big boost of iron was to eat liver or red meat. I’ll let you guess which one I picked. K is now 4 1/2 and I still struggle with my iron levels. It’s at a point now where I can tell when I’m in need of some more iron to give me a boost. This was a really long-winded way of sharing with you a beef recipe that I really DO enjoy.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb beef (or lamb) bone in preferably
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp (chopped finely) Italian parsley
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 can of chickpeas (you can use dry – make sure to soak at least 24 hours before using)
- 1/2 preserved lemon
- enough water to cover meat
- Crusty bread to eat with
Directions (for pressure cooker)
- In the bottom of a 4qt pressure cooker add olive oil, garlic, cumin, and pepper and turn heat to medium. Next place in the pieces of meat and brown on all sides. If it seems too hot add a little bit of water so that the spices do not burn.
- After browning adding enough water to cover the meat, as well as the Italian parsley and preserved lemons. (if using dry chickpeas you will want to add them at this point too)
- Cover the pressure cooker and cook about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and release steam. Check on the tenderness of the meat. It should be falling apart.
- Add the chickpeas and place pressure cook back onto a burner with the cover off. The final step is to reduce the liquid remaining and cook through the chickpeas.
- The final consistency should be thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew with enough sauce leftover to eat the dish with.
- Serve the tajine with a loaf of crusty bread.
Directions (for Dutch Oven)
- In the bottom of a dutch oven add olive oil, garlic, cumin, and pepper and turn heat to medium. Next place in the pieces of meat and brown on all sides. If it seems too hot add a little bit of water so that the spices do not burn.
- After browning adding enough water to cover the meat, as well as the Italian parsley and preserved lemons. (if using dry chickpeas you want to add them at this point as well)
- Cover and cook about 1h and 30 minutes checking the tenderness of the meat in the final 30 minutes of cooking. It should be falling apart.
- Add the chickpeas and continue cooking with the cover off. This final step is to reduce the liquid remaining and cook through the chickpeas.
- The final consistency should be thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew with enough sauce leftover to eat the dish with.
- Serve the tajine with a loaf of crusty bread.
Tajine Tales: Chicken with Smen and Green Olives
It didn’t break!! I’ve blogged a few times about my bad luck with cracking tajines. The most recent tajine that I’ve gotten I didn’t take any chances with – doing lots of prepping before actually using it. I very timidly decided to try it out, cooking a chicken tajine on very low temperatures and only slowly increasing the heat. I felt like a new mom. You know the mom I’m talking about – the one who spends the first 2 weeks with a newborn at home sneaking up to the crib and checking to make sure the baby is still breathing. Gingerly placing their hand close to the babies mouth, making sure there were little air puffs…oh no you didn’t do that? Never mind then…..Let’s just say I checked on it a lot.
It paid off because it didn’t break and the dish turned out great. I was attempting to make Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Eggs from Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking: Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share
The original recipe is tricky – I used almost all the same ingredients but left out the eggs and lemon juice. It still turned out to be a great dish. Today’s Food of the Sun entry is for poultry main dishes – so here we go!
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
1 onion grated and excess water removed
2 tbsp crushed garlic
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of saffron threads
1 tsp ginger
salt and pepper
1/2 preserved lemon cleaned
2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
handful of green olives
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp smen (you can make this without smen just add 1 more tbsp regular butter)
Directions
Clean the chicken and remove any excess fat. In 1/2c warm water soak the saffron threads. With a mortar and pestle pound the garlic with 1 tsp salt. Add in the ginger, 1/2 tsp black pepper, cinnamon and 2 tbsp softened butter and smen. Gradually stir in the hot saffron water. *Note do this very slowly and with a little water at a time – too much water and it will not come together* Mix with half of the grated onion and pour into the tajine. Add in the chicken pieces skin side up on top. Place the lemon, olives, parsley and cilantro on top of the tajine.
Cover the tajine and cook on low heat 275F in the oven. Cook until the chicken is tender. This will take at least an hour. Avoid opening the tajine as much as possible, as opening it breaks the seal and the steam. The meat should be tender. Remove form oven at this point and transfer pieces to a plate.
In a medium bowl mix lemon, olives, cilantro and parsley. Using a spoon remove any fat that has gathered at the top. In a saute pan cook the chicken on medium high heat to achieve a crispy skin.
I wanted to update everyone – I have not yet picked a winner for the tea set giveaway. I’m going to give everyone one more week to register. Deadline is February 11th! I hope that you will link up your poultry main dishes to this post (you’ll get an entry in the giveaway!) There are other ways to win too. Check out the ways to enter and make sure you leave a separate comment on this post for each entry.
Also I want to encourage you all to stop by and visit American Muslim Mom. They are relaunching their site with a new design. I was fortunate enough to get an early copy of Ponn Sabra’s ebook and was very happy to read and review. It’s fantastic. Stop by and check out the site, and make sure that you enter to win some of the items in the super big giveaway! There are over $500 in prizes including my tajine spice trio!
Meatball Tajine
A very popular tajine is the egg and meatball tajine. It’s great because it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Paired with a salad it makes a fantastic dinner. Coupled with some tea and dates a nice, hearty breakfast. I don’t always like eggs so I changed this recipe slightly and made simply a meatball tajine. After I made this I wondered what it would taste like over spaghetti, a sort of Moroccan spaghetti. It’s a thought! If you try it let me know!
The ingredients and cooking technique are virtually the same sans the egg.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb or beef
2 garlic cloves minced
1 small onion minced
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
chopped fresh parsley (or chopped fresh coriander)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying
Tomato sauce (see recipe below)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves minced
3 medium tomatoes, insides grated
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 tsp cumin
Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, mix the meat, garlic, onion, spices, salt and pepper and the parsley until it is all thoroughly mixed, knead to a smooth mixture.
2. Roll into gum-ball sized balls and set aside on a tray.
3. Heat the oil in a fry pan and cook the meatballs until golden brown
For Tomato Sauce:
1. Heat a little oil in a saucepan; add garlic then cook for about 2 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and spices then cook for about 10 minutes
To finish: Combine ingredients for tomato sauce and pour over the meatballs, simmer on the stove top for about 15-20 minutes, and stir so that it does not stick.
Food of the Sun: Chicken and Cannellini Beans
I’ve been reading so many cooking magazines and cookbooks lately that I haven’t even had time to make recipes from them! I have been trying to incorporate more beans and fiber into our diet, as I am anemic and my husband has cholesterol issues. This truly is a comfort dish. It has the lemony flavors of the Mediterranean and the added flavor from the thyme. Beans are a very popular dish in the Mediterranean and using them is a great way to stretch the dish.
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup of dry cannellini beans or 1 can of cannellini beans
1 whole lemon cut in half
4 stems of thyme
1-2 potaotes
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Directions
In a large dutch oven add vegetable oil and butter and turn to medium high. Next add the onions and garlic and allow to saute until softened. Add the chicken pieces and brown all sides. Clean the potatoes and cut the lemon in half, squeezing 1/2 into the pot. Add the two halves of the lemon and the potaotes to the pot.
Add the remaining spices, herbs and salt and pepper, as well as the cannellini beans. If using dried beans, soak ahead of time for 6-8 hours.
Add the chicken broth last. Cook on medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour, for the broth to reduce. If using canned beans they will be soft. If using dry beans the cooking time may need to be longer. You will want to use more chicken broth to offset the increased cooking time.
Tajine Tales: Preparing a New Tajine
I’m on Tajine #3….the two others that I have, have cracked bottoms. Not cracked so bad that I can’t use them to serve but I can’t actually cook in them. So this year I got a new tajine from Morocco. It’s bigger, and a little different shape from the other two. It’s also unglazed. I swore that this time I would not crack it. I would take care of preparing it before I actually cooked in it. If you’re thinking of picking up a tajine in Morocco or purchasing one in the United States make sure that you find out if it’s ready to be cooked in, or if needs to be primed.
The process isn’t hard, it does take time and space. Depending on how the tajine was made will impact how it needs to be prepared. This is an unglazed clay tajine from southern Morocco. A glazed tajine from Northern Morocco may have a different way to prime. Always ask! This technique however is a safe bet if you’re unsure how to prepare yours.
First the bottom of the tajine needed to be rubbed down with a good douse of olive oil, making sure to rub it all over and into the lip where the cone sits. Then I added warm water. Allow to sit for at least 24 hours. Mine ended up sitting for 2 days (hey I’m trying not to crack a third one!) I allowed it to then dry out. Lastly fill with salt water and place into a cold oven. Turn heat on to 250F and leave for 30 minutes. At this point it should be good to cook in. It’s always best to use at low temperatures for longer periods of time. If using on an a stovetop that is electric make sure to have a heat diffuser and don’t place directly onto the coils.
If you’re looking for a tajine make sure to check out Tagines.com and Clay Coyote.
Food of the Sun post will go up Friday – this week it’s Mediterranean winter/holiday comfort foods. I can say that my comfort food can be cooked in a tajine! You can still post a recipe for a Mediterranean winter/holiday dessert. Find all the information about this blog carnival here. I hope you’ll link up!
Special thanks to Paula Wolfert the clay pot queen for her hints and tips on preparing my tajine!! Gift giving? Give your foodie friends a tajine and Paula’s fantastic Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking: Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share
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