Moroccan Beef Tajine With Apricot And Pear Food

BEEF TAGINE

Steps:

• Serving suggestion: Lightly seasoned couscous.
• To make the spice rub: Mix the ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Put the beef into a large bowl, massage it with the spice rub, then cover with plastic wrap or clingfilm and put into the refrigerator for a couple of hours-ideally overnight. That way the spices really penetrate and flavour the meat. When you're ready to cook, heat a generous lug of olive oil in a tagine or casserole-type pan and fry the meat over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and coriander (cilantro) stalks and fry for another 5 minutes. Tip in the chickpeas and tomatoes, then pour in 1 3/4 cups/400 ml stock and stir. Bring to the boil, then put the lid on the pan or cover with foil and reduce to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours. At this point add your squash, the prunes and the rest of the stock. Give everything a gentle stir, then pop the lid back on the pan and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye on it and add a splash of water if it looks too dry. Once the time is up, take the lid off and check the consistency. If it seems a bit too runny, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more with the lid off. The beef should be really tender and flaking apart now, so have a taste and season with a pinch or 2 of salt. Scatter the coriander (cilantro) leaves over the tagine along with the toasted almonds, then take it straight to the table with a big bowl of lightly seasoned couscous and dive in.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer onions into a tagine. Layer chicken pieces on top of onions.
• Combine turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, and salt in a small bowl; mix well with remaining 5 tablespoons olive oil. Spread spice mixture onto the chicken pieces. Add cinnamon pieces, bay leaves, ginger, and cilantro. Pour in 1/2 cup of water and cover tagine with a lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a skillet over low heat while chicken is cooking. Add sliced pears and honey and cook, while stirring, until honey has caramelized.
• Remove tagine from the oven and stir in caramelized pears. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

MOROCCAN BEEF TAJINE WITH APRICOT AND PEAR

Steps:

• PREPARATION: Add butter to a preheated pan and saute onion, ginger, salt, pepper, turmeric, and cinnamon sticks until glazed. Add garlic and beef, saute until beef turns brown (about 5 min) Add beef broth and bring to boil Divide the contents of the saute pan between two tajines (careful not to overfill) COOK: Cover the tajine and cook at 350F for 1 hour Remove the tajines and divide the pear slices and apricots evenly between the two tajines. Cook for another 30 minutes (until the pears are tender and the beef is cooked throughout) Remove the tajines and garnish with slivered almonds and cilantro, top with lime wedges if desired.

MOROCCAN BEEF AND HONEY TAGINE

Steps:

• Heat half the olive oil in a large pan or wok and quickly brown the onion quarters over a high heat until charred and coloured well. (Break them up as you're doing this.).
• Add the carrots and the chopped garlic and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Tip carrots and onions into the tagine (or crock pot).
• Add the tinned tomatoes, dates and prunes to the tagine/crock pot and mix well.
• Add the honey and ras el hanout to the beef stock, stir well and add to the tagine/crock pot. Mix well, then add the cinnamon stick.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pan in which the onions were cooked and cook the beef cubes in small batches over high heat to sear and seal them. As each batch is browned, add the beef to the tagine or crock pot.
• When all the beef is browned and in the tagine or crock pot, season with salt and pepper to taste. Ensure everything is just covered with the stock (if not add a little water). Mix well and slow cook for about 9 hours.
• When ready to serve, garnish with fresh coriander and toasted almonds.
• Serve on fluffy cous cous.

LAMB WITH PEAR TAGINE

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan gently fry the onion in the olive oil until soft.
• Add lamb, ginger, and coriander to the pan and cook until it changes color.
• Add cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and water to just cover the meat.
• Salt to taste.
• Cover and simmer gently until the meat is tender, about 1.5-2 hours.
• If there seems to be a bit too much liquid, displace the lid after an hour of cooking.
• Add the pears to the meat together with almonds. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the pears are soft.
• NOTE:.
• For a different twist on this, you can substitute mixed vegetables of your choice, instead of pear. It would make it more savory than sweet.