moroccan

[bifas 1st darling!]

anyone got any tried and tested recipies for moroccan food? I've been surfing the net and found some lovely sounding dishes but having never eaten Moroccan food I'm not sure! I quite fancy a lamb tangine.

[Lesley Jean]

I have a great one for Spring Lamb Tagine:

1 x 2.5lb/1.3k shoulder of lamb (ask the butcher to remove the bone)
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2leeks
6 cloves garlic
12oz/350g new potatoes
8oz/250g cherry tomatoes
quarter tsp (pinch) saffron
1 tsp dried mint
1 small tin artichoke hearts.
1 preserved lemon OR the peeled zest of half a lemon
8oz/250g broad beans (podded weight)
salt and pepper to taste
parsley to garnish

Cut the lamb shoulder into eight pieces, roughly the same size. Mix the meat with the cumin and salt. Heat the oil in a large pot or tagine and brown the meat.
Chop the onion, leeks and garlic then add them to the pot. Halve the new potatoes and tomatoes and add them to the pot with the mint and saffron. Continue to cook on a very low heat.
Add the artichokes to the pot with about 8fl.oz./250ml of stock. Now cook the tagine for about one-and-a-half hours.
Meanwhile, dice the preserved lemon roughly. (or the lemon zest)
Shuck the broad beans out of their little membranes by squeezing them between forefinger and thumb. Add the lemons and beans to the pot and cook for another 30 mins. By this time the meat and veg should be very tender.
Let the tagine rest for 10 mins before seasoning, garnishing with chopped parsley.

Serve with couscous or rice and crusty bread.

[bifas 1st darling!]

thank you!

[Lesley Jean]

And this one (This is normally made with Salt Marsh Lamb - hence the Somerset title but any will do)

Somerset Lamb Tagine

olive oil
1 heaped tasp each ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika and freshly grated root ginger
3 or 4 cardamon pods ground in a pestle (discard the husks)
1 teasp saffron
ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 heaped teasp sugar
Lamb - I use half a shoulder cut into four pieces, also can use chump or shank)
2 onions chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
zest and juice of 1 lemon
tin chopped tomatoes
1 tablesp tomato puree
large handful freshly chopped coriander wineglass of water handful chopped dried apricots

Pour a generous quantity of olive oil into the casserole, heat and add the spices. Fry for a minute and then add the lamb, turning until each pieces is coloured. Add the onion, garlic, lemon, apricots, tomatoes, fresh coriander and water.
Cover and simmer for two hours. Baste occasionally adding a little more water if required.

You can add any vegetables you would like to the pot before you simmer for two hours.

Serve with salad and crusty bread.

[Bruce Wallis]

Here's another variation....

take 2lbs cubed lamb.
2 large onions sliced
a large aubergine sliced salted and pressed.
1/2 lb of dried apricots
1/2 lb prunes
a couple of large fresh tomatoes.
Salt& pepper to season.
small amount mixed spice and ground cinnammon.

Layer the ingredients in an oven proof dish so that the cassorole is so packed you have to press the lid on.
add NO liquid.

cook in a medium oven for about an hour.

Serve with spiced rice with pine nuts, and a green salad.
I also serve pitta or fiocatta bread and hummous to eat on side.

Very authentically arabic....and delicious.

If you want to be even more authentic, serve with tabboulah. which is a salad made of flat leaved parsley. Delicious!!
The bit where we vary from the Arabic, is to add a delicious cold dry white wine!