I can't say I'm much of a cook. Actually, I'm more of a restaurant and take-aways kind of girl. Not healthy, I know, but then neither is - or was - my cooking.:-)
However, that was before I discovered Tagine cooking. It is simply the easiest and best way to cook. The preparation can take some time (unless you buy everything pre-cut at Woolies) and then you simply leave it. I've tried this recipe and have found it to be quite delicous (I was even brave enough to invite some people around from work to try).
Just some background info on Tagines: Tagines, (Tajines) is the name given to both the cooking vessels and of the recipes themselves. Traditionally used by nomads as portable ovens over charcoal braziers, a tagine is made from glazed earthenware with a conical lid. The base is both a cooking and serving dish. It is very heavy to withstand constant use, and to hold the heat longer. The cone shaped cover acts like an oven and the entire lid is totally sealed to retain heat and moisture, which not only prevents it from drying out during the long cooking process, but also allows the slow infusion of flavors throughout the dish.
The low, indirect heat produces a rich, aromatic flavor as the food slowly simmers for several hours. Most tagines purchased nowadays can be used either in the oven or on top of the stove. The food is cooked in and served from the tagine, but remember to protect your table from heat from the base, when it comes off the stove or out of the oven. Of course, tagines can be cooked in more conventional cookware such as casseroles, however, to add an aura of authenticity you can serve the cooked stew from a decorated tagine which is a beautiful serving dish in itself.
Basically, tagines are a sort of stew, which are usually a mixture of vegetables, poultry or lamb, often with the addition of fruit. They have a thick rich spicy sauce which is thickened due to the long cooking process and are generally served with bread, couscous or rice. Originally, they would be cooked for many hours, however with modern cookers, a good result can be achieved in as little as 1-1/2 hours for poultry and meats and a lot less for vegetables, but bear in mind, the longer you cook them, the more developed the flavours. The fruits are usually added in dried form and contribute a subtle sweetness to the overall flavor. Often tagines contain preserved or salted lemons, which give the dish a unique flavour which cannot be duplicated by using fresh lemons. The idea behind tagine cooking is slow cooking, giving the meat and vegetables time to slow cook in its own juices and thereby savouring all flavours with the meal.
Why not try this delicious recipe below and let me know if you are as impressed as I was.
Lamb Tagine with dried prunes and almonds
- 1.2 kg lamb shoulder, cut into pieces
- 500 g dried prunes
- 150 g whole almonds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 4 hard boiled eggs
- 3 chopped onions
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 4 sticks cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger (fresh or dried)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron
- 1 teaspoon flat parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 4 tablespoons groundnut peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoons caster sugar
- Salt, pepper
In a hot Emile Henry tagine, fry the pieces of lamb in the oil and butter, adding the onions, garlic, half the powdered cinnamon, ginger, saffron, cumin, parsley, coriander, salt and pepper. When the meat is golden, add three glasses of water, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Add a little water during cooking if necessary. Stir regularly. During this time, fry the sesame seeds in a pan without any oil. Cook the almonds in boiling water for 15 minutes, take off the outer skin layer and fry them in a little oil until golden. After 30 minutes, take a little sauce from the tagine, put it in a saucepan and add the dried prunes, the rest of the powdered cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Drain the prunes and remove the sticks of cinnamon.Once the meat is cooked and the sauce has reduced, add the prunes and sprinkle the sesame seeds and almonds over the top. Cut the boiled eggs in half and arrange them around the edge.
Serve directly at the table - serves 6.
For more info: www.easterngifts.co.za
