Berber Vegetable Tagine Recipes

MOROCCAN BERBER TAGINE WITH LAMB OR BEEF AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Pour the olive oil into the base of a tagine.
• Arrange the onion rings across the bottom and scatter the chopped onion and garlic on top.
• Arrange the meat, bone-side down, in a mound in the center of the tagine. (The taller the mound, the more conical your arrangement of vegetables will be.)
• Combine the spices in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle a little less than half of the seasoning over the meat and onions.
• Place the prepped vegetables in a large bowl.
• Add the remaining seasoning and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
• Arrange the vegetables in a conical shape around the meat.
• Arrange the bell pepper strips in the center and top with the parsley bouquet and then the jalapeño pepper, Garnish the tagine with the preserved lemon quarters and olives.
• Add 2 1/2 cups water to the empty bowl and swirl to rinse the residual spices.
• Add the water to the tagine, cover, and place the tagine over medium coals in a brazier, or stovetop over medium-low heat. Note that use of a diffuser under the tagine is necessary if using clay or ceramic on an electric stove and recommended for other heat sources as well.
• Leave the tagine to reach a simmer. This may take a long time, 20 minutes or so; be cautious in feeling the need to increase the heat.
• Once simmering, continue cooking the tagine over medium-low heat until the meat and vegetables are very tender and the sauce is reduced, up to 3 hours for beef and up to 4 hours for lamb.
• While the tagine is cooking, you may check the level of the liquids occasionally and add a little water as necessary, but otherwise, try not to disturb the tagine.
• Do stay alert for the smell of anything burning, and lower the heat if necessary to avoid scorching ingredients and/or cracking the tagine. It is normal, however, for some of the base onions to burn and adhere to the bottom of the tagine as they caramelize and reduce.
• Remove the cooked tagine from the heat and serve. It will stay warm while covered for 30 minutes.

BERBER VEGETABLE TAGINE

Steps:

• NOTE: Don't use all the vegetables. Recipe will fill both tajines
• Clean and prepare all vegetables
• Onion - Finely chop
• Tomato - Dice with the skin
• Carrot - Peel and cut into quarters
• Turnip - Peel and cut into quarters
• Potato - Peel and cut into quarters
• Zucchini - Trim ends and cut into quarters
• Red bell pepper - trim ends, seed, and slice into medium strips
• Green beans - trip ends and cut into medium strips
• Prepare marinade - combine all the marinade ingredients EXCEPT THE OIL in bowl and mix well
• Place chopped onion and tomato in tagine
• Arrange vegetables in tagine, starting with vegetables that take the longest to cook (carrot, turnip, potato) leaving at the top the ones that take less time to cook (zucchini, cauliflower, red bell pepper, green beans and green peas).
• Pour the spice marinade over the vegetables
• Drizzle oil at the end
• Cover the tagine and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes. From time to time check on the vegetables to make sure that there is enough liquid in the tagine. Add water if necessary.
• Serve with bread

MOROCCAN TAGINE BERBER

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbls oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or tagine (a Moroccan cooking vessel) over high heat.
• Add lamb in batches and brown on all sides, stirring frequently.
• Set aside.
• In same pot, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat, add onions, cook for 15 minutes, then add cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and saffron and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir, mixing well, and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes more.
• Return meat to pot and mix well.
• Form mixture into a mound in center of pot.
• Arrange potato quarters around meat, pressing angled sides into mound.
• Arrange carrots and zucchini the same way.
• Arrange turnip quarters and green pepper strips alternately around mound.
• Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
• Cook, covered, over medium-low heat, basting occasionally with liquid from bottom of pot, until vegetables are cooked, about 1 1/4 hours.
• Arrange tomatoes atop meat, cook, covered, for 5 minutes more, and serve.