07.06.09

Moroccan Sensations – Part 2…

Posted in Lamb, Moroccan, Tagine at 11:53 pm by cecilia

Not too many things in this world pleases me more than to feed my friends and loved ones, and to know that they’re blown away by how satisfied their senses are with my food. In most of my cooking, I try to incorporate a wholesome flair with layers of flavors and an element of pleasant yet mysterious surprise. With Moroccan food, my objectives are naturally met. One has to appreciate how much patience it takes to cook a Moroccan dish. To me, Moroccan cuisine is the cornerstone of the “slow food” movement in my kitchen. It represents many things that are nurturing and comforting. It fills your home with delightful fragrance and warms your heart when you sink your teeth into this particular dish. This lamb tagine is my way of saying “You’re special and I want to conduct a symphony on your taste buds”.

In Morocco, a tagine is shared among close friends and family communal style. That means everyone will tear up some bread and dip it into the sauce and pick up some meat pieces to eat. This dish tastes complex due to the spices and a combination of sweet and savory ingredients. I’m religious about authentic Moroccan spices. While I cannot name all the plants, seeds, barks, and roots that are in my spices, I can suggest a homemade blend that will provide most of the flavors for a tasty tagine.

Moroccan Spice Blend

Makes 4 Tablespoons

• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Blend the spices to combine. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Dried Plums

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 lbs Boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2-3 inch bite size cubes
• 2-4 Tbsp Moroccan spices, enough to coat all lamb pieces
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup sherry cooking wine *
• 5 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 large ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup dried plums
• Optional: 1/2 cup dried figs
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup toasted blanched almonds, whole
• Parsley or mint for garnish

1. Boil some water in a small pot, lower the whole almonds to blanch for about 5 minutes.
2. Drain the almonds and let cool. Remove the skin when they’re cool enough to the touch. Dry with some paper towels and toast them over medium heat on a frying pan until they start making crackling sounds. Set them aside to cool.
3. To prepare the meat, coat each lamb piece with the Moroccan spices. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Leave the meat out at least 30 minutes before cooking for it to return to room temperature.
4. In a tagine or heavy-bottom large pan over high heat, warm 2 Tbsp olive oil until it reaches smoking point.
5. Brown the lamb pieces on all sides in the hot tagine, one batch at a time without crowding the meat in the pan. Note: leave each side of the meat on the tagine for at least 3-4 minutes without disturbing it. Transfer the browned meat to a plate on the side.
6. Warm another 2 Tbsp olive oil in the same tagine. Lower the sliced onions. Season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. Stir for 10-15 minutes until soft and translucent.
7. Pour in the sherry cooking wine to deglaze the tagine. However, if you want to stay true to the Moroccan culture and not use any alcohol at all, skip this step.
8. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add a cinnamon stick.
9. Return the lamb to the tagine. Pour in the broth to just cover the meat. Slowly simmer the meat on low heat for an hour.
10. In a separate pan, warm the dried plums and dried figs (optional) with the honey water mixture.
11. Add the soaked dried plums and figs to the tagine with the meat. Slow cook for another 30 minutes.
12. Garnish the tagine with chopped parsley or mint. Serve with crusty bread or over couscous.

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