LEMONY BEEF AND NEW POTATO TAJINE

Being a total spice addict, I am very sensible and open to the charms of the North African cuisine. It is so rich in taste, unique, fragrant, refined and ambrosial that I am strongly attracted by it's exceptional dishes...

I am also drawn to anything sweet and savory, so I cannot resist recipes that use this very special and addictive flavor combination which I find absolutely perfect and irresistible.

So, a few days ago, while on my quest for the absolute "Tajine" to cook/test in order to sublimate my beef meat and use my homemade "Moroccan Preserved Lemons", I invented my own recipe in accordance with the traditional ones I came across throughout my Google search/errands.
I must say that the result was exceptionally mind-blowing regarding the fact that I followed my flair to create this recipe and used my palate as well as nose as guides in order to reach the savor of an original "Tajine".

“Tajine (or Tagine)” is the name for a type of a North-African stew, but it is also used to describe the very special heavy based, shallow clay pot with a conical and dome-shaped heavy lid in which that dish is cooked. Three different countries make "Tajines": Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Although they carry the same name, the Morccan/Algerian ones are very dissimilar to the Tunisian one...

"Morrocan Tajine" and Algerian Tajines" are both slow-cooked stews made with less-expensive lamb, chicken or beef meats and sometimes fish, quail, pigeon, root vegetables, vegetables as well as legumes which are combined with a medley of ingredients or seasonings such as olives, quinces, apples, pears, apricots, raisins, prunes, dates, nuts, fresh or preserved lemons, honey, traditonal spices (cinnamon, cumin, fresh or ground ginger, turmeric/curcuma, paprika, saffron, pepper and Ras El Hanout).

The "Tunisian Tajine" is nothing like the Moroccan one. It is quite comparable to a "Kugel", a "quiche" or a "Fritatta".It is generally made from beaten eggs and grated cheese consisting of meat and/or various vegetable fillings, prepared like a large cake and cooked in the oven.

I must confess that, even if I hate boasting about myself and my cooking/baking "skills", I am very proud of my dish as this "Lemony Beef And New Potato Tajine" was a real success and tasted just like it should. Wonderful!

Thanks to the marinading and the slow simmering, the meat is hyper (fork-)tender, juicy and extra tasty. The potatoes are perfectly fondant and lusciously waxy. The honey and raisins add an interesting counterbalancing sweetness to this speciality, the almonds bring some crunch as well as a rich nutty note and the olives give that slight and very pleasant bitterness that couples very well with the overall roundness of the dish. This "Tajine" is well-balanced flavor-wise, gloriously citrousy, pungent, delicately spicy and is magnificently perfumed. A scrumptious combination of flavors and textures...

Eating a "Tajine" is an unforgettable gustatory experience that makes you travel in a matter of seconds, without even leaving the kitchen table. It is soul-transporting, aromatic, intense, yet mellow dish with so much dimension that it is impossible not to be seduced by it's matchlessness!

~ Moroccan Lemony Beef And New Potato Tajine ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes a tajine for 3-4 people.

Ingredients for the marinade:
1 Tbs Olive oil
600g Boneless sirloin steak, cut into 2.5cm (1-inch) cubes
1/2 Tsp Ras El Hanout
1 Clove garlic, crushed

Ingredients for the tajine:
3 Tbs Olive oil
The marinaded beef
4 Medium onions, thinly sliced
4 Cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbs Grated fresh ginger
3 Tsps Ras El Hanout
3/4 Tsp Ground cumin
125mg Saffron
2 x 10cm (3.9-inch) Sticks cinnamon
500g New potatoes
1 Chicken broth cube
Enough water to cover
120g Green olives with stones
120g Raisins
130g Whole almonds, roasted
3/8-1/2 Preserved lemon, cut into thin strips
4 Tbs Runny honey
Salt, to taste
Fresh coriander, chopped

Method:
1. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and keep in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
2. One hour before you start cooking, take the meat out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature.
3. Heat 3 tbs oil in a Dutch oven/tajine over high heat.
2. Add the marinaded meat and sauté it for about 2-3 minutes, making sure that each side has been slightly browned.
3. Lower the temperature to medium high, then add the onions and garlic.
4. Stir-fry until the onions are translucid.
5. Add the ginger, Ras El Hanout, ground cumin, saffron and sticks cinnamon.
6. Stir well and cook for another minute.

7. Add the new potatoes and stir well.
8. Add the chicken broth cube and enough water to cover.
9. Stir well, cover and let simmer at medium temperature for about 35-40 minutes, stirring from time to time.
10. Add the olives and let simmer, covered for another 10 minutes.
11. Add the roasted almonds, the raisins, the lemon strips and the honey.
12. Stir well and let simmer, covered for 30 minutes, until the onions and the preserved lemons have "melted" (desintegrated) and that the sauce has reduced and is thickish.
13. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh coriander.
14. Serve hot.

Remarks:
Instead of beef, you can also use lamb, veal, duck legs or chicken legs.
You can replace the saffron by 1/2 Tsp ground turmeric/curcuma.
If you have no preserved lemons in reach, then you can grate the zest of one lemon and add it to the stew (point 11).
You could also add a few (a handful) dried apricots to this tajine (point 11).
Rectify the (spice) seasoning if needed and add salt to taste. I added no salt at all, because the preserved lemons and the broth gave enough saltiness to the tajine.
The tajine is ready when the onions and lemon strips have totally desintegrated and contributed the the thickness of the sauce.

The sauce should not be too thin nor present in big quantities. If your sauce is too watery, then let cook until the sauce reaches the correct consistancy
This tagine can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

Serving suggestions:
Tagines are made to be eaten alone, but if you wish, you can accompany that dish with some buttered couscous or rice.

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~ Tajine Marocain Au Boeuf, Pommes De Terres Nouvelles Et Citron Confit~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 3 à 4 prsonnes.

Ingrédients pour la marinade:
1 CS d'Huile d'olive
600g de Boeuf à braiser (jarret ou bourgignon), coupé en dés de 2.5cm
1/2 CC de Ras El Hanout
1 Gousse d'ail, écrasée

Ingrédients pour le tajine:
3 CS d'Huile d'olive
Le boeuf mariné
4 Oignons moyens, coupés en fines lamelles
4 Gousse d'ail, écrasées
2 CS de Gingembre frais, râpé
3 CC de Ras El Hanout
3/4 de CC de Cumin en poudre
125mg de Safran
2 Bâtonnets de cannelle de 10cm chacuns
500g de Pommes de terres nouvelles
1 Cube de Bouillon de poulet
Assez d'eau pour couvrir
120g d'Olives vertes, non-dénoyautées
120g de Raisins secs clairs
130g d'Amandes entières, grillées
3/8-1/2 Citron confit, coupé en lamelles fines
4 CS de Miel liquide
Sel, à volonté
Coriandre fraîche, hachée grossièrement

Méthode:

1. Dans un bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients pour la marinade et mettre au réfrigérateur. Laisser reposer au moins 2 heures.
2. Une heure avant de commencer à cuire la viande, sortez le bol du frigo et laisser le à température ambiante.
3. Chauffer 3 CS d'huile d'olive dans un cassoton/tajine, à feu haut.
2. Ajouter la viande marinée et la faire rôtir pendant environ 2-3 minutes, en faisant un sorte de bien brunir chaque côté.
3. Baisser la température (feu moyen) et ajouter les oignons ainsi que l'ail.
4. Faire revenir en remuant bien jusqu'à ce que l'oignon soit translucide.
5. Ajouter le gingembre, le Ras El Hanout, le cumin, le safran et les bâtonnets de cannelle.
6. Bien remuer et faire cuire pendant une minute supplémentaire.

7. Ajouter les pommes de terre nouvelles et bien mélanger.
8. Ajouter le bouillon et assez d'eau afin de recouvrir entièrement le contenu de la casserole.
9. Mélanger, couvrir et laisser mijoter à température moyenne pendant 35-40 minutes, en remuant de temps en temps.
10. Ajouter les olives et laisser mijoter à couvert pendant 10 minutes.
11. Ajouter les amandes, les raisins, les lamelles de citron et le miel.
12. Bien mélanger et faire mijoter (avec le couvercle) pendant encore 30 minutes, jusqu'à ce que les oignons et les lamelles de citron aient "fondu" (se soient désintégrés) et que la sauce soit assez épaisse.
13. Saupoudrer de coriandre grossièrement hachée.
14. Servir chaud.

Remarques:
Au lieu d'utiliser du boeuf, vous pouvez très bien prendre de l'agneau, du veau, des cuisses de canard ou des cuisses de poulet.
Vous pouvez remplacer le safran par 1/2 CC de poudre de curcuma.
Si vous n'avez pas de citrons confits sous la main, vous pouvez alors râper le zeste d'un citron et l'ajouter au plat (voir point 11).
Il est possible d'ajouter une poignée d'abricots séchés à cette recette (voir point 11)
Rectifier l'assaisonement et ajouter du sel, si nécessaire. Je n'ai pas mis de sel car les citrons confits et le bouillon on siffisament salé ce plat.
Ce tajine est prêt à être servi lorsque les oignons et les lamelles de citron confit se sont totalement désintégrés et auront épaissi la sauce.
La sauce ne doit pas être trop liquide ni présente en grande quantités (plutôt concentrée et épaisse). Si votre sauce est trop liquide, je vous conseille de continuer à faire mijoter votre plat jusqu'à ce qu'elle ait la bonne consistance.
Ce tajine peut être fait 1 jour à l'avance et mis au frigo, couvert.

Idées de présentation:
Les tajines sont faits pour être mangés sans accompagnements car ce sont des plats complets. Par contre, si vous pouvez très bien le manger avec du couscous au beurre ou du riz.