Moroccan Berber Tagine With Lamb or Beef and Vegetables
This is an authentic Berber tagine recipe with beef or lamb, and vegetables, seasoned with Moroccan spices, preserved lemon, and olives.
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- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 3 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 pound beef (or lamb, cut into 2" to 3" pieces)
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped or pressed)
- 3 to 4 small potatoes (or medium, quartered lengthwise)
- 3 to 4 medium carrots (halved or quartered lengthwise)
- Optional: 4 small zucchini (whole; or may use other veggies)
- 1 small bell pepper (any color, cut into strips or rings)
- 1 small handful parsley (and/or cilantro, tied into a bouquet)
- Optional: 1 small jalapeno or chili pepper
- 1 small preserved lemon (quartered)
- 1 handful olives (green or red/violet)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Optional: 1 pinch saffron threads
Instructions
- 1
Pour the olive oil into the base of a tagine.
- 2
Arrange the onion rings across the bottom and scatter the chopped onion and garlic on top.
- 3
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.)
- 4
Combine the spices in a small bowl.
- 5
Sprinkle a little less than half of the seasoning over the meat and onions.
- 6
Place the prepped vegetables in a large bowl.
- 7
Add the remaining seasoning and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.
- 8
Arrange the vegetables in a conical shape around the meat.
- 9
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.
- 10
Add 2 1/2 cups water to the empty bowl and swirl to rinse the residual spices.
- 11
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.
- 12
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.
- 13
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.
- 14
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.
- 15
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.
- 16
Remove the cooked tagine from the heat and serve. It will stay warm while covered for 30 minutes.