I do a lamb, apricot prune and almond tagine which is delicious. Mamy people think it is just like a casserole, but it is not a casserole, it does not have gravy. The lamb one also has cinnamon quills, saffron, red onion, honey and various spices. It is ot hot and spicy but sweet and savoury together which is just delightful.
phoenix10111,
Jan 9, 9:16am
Hi cookessentials. Would you mind posting your lamb, apricot, almond and prune recipe please! Sounds delicious. Can it be made in a casserole type dish if you don't have a tagine!Thanks
cookessentials,
Jan 9, 9:18am
Yes, it can, however it wont be the same as it is in a tagine. The tagine I use is used on the stove top. The recipe is for being made in a tagine, where you are browning your onions and meat on the stove top. Do you haveone that you can use on the stove top!
Perhaps richard198 would like to give you a recipe phoenix, I am not about to go down this track again with this particular poster.
nzl99,
Jan 10, 5:56pm
So annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnyway. my boyfriend bought me one. personally I don't notice any difference in flavour from a regular casserole/stew. I probably prefer my large enamel casserole dish to be honest.but it's fun to use and is an interesting centerpiece to dish up from at the table.
Lamb is my fav meat to use in it. and I do a mish mash of a tomatoey type base with a lil kick to it and then some fruit (eith dried fruit like apricots, prunes or rasins/cranberries) or fruit chutney and I like to add almonds for crunch.Works for me.
katalin2,
Jan 10, 6:24pm
When we were in Morocco a few years ago most of the delicious tagines we had were only served in decorative tagines. The only time we had a tagine that was cooked and served in a tagine was in the desert cooked by local Berber tribe. It is the flavouring that gives tagine dishes their distinctive Moroccan taste- I use my slow cooker or a tall round casserole dish in the oven for my "tagines". It is the long slow cooking that does it. Also, the meat used in Morocco is pretty scrappy- in the markets most of the meat was pretty scrawny looking camel or goat meat which would benefit from the long slow cooking and blending of dried fruit, spices and nuts. The quality of meat we use in NZ I am guessing is superior, even when using cheaper cuts.
davidt4,
Jan 10, 8:12pm
A friend of mine was the private chef in London for a wealthy Moroccan household.I will paste in a couple of her recipes that I have eaten, both delicious and easily made in a heavy casserole.
Lamb Tagine with Prunes & Baby Onions
6 – 8
500 g stoneless prunes – soak 1 hr Butter Shoulder of lamb, boned and cubed 2 onion finely chopped 4 cloves garlic chopped 1 ½ tsp ground ginger 1 ½ tsp ground coriander pinch of saffron 1 tab tomato pureé 1 cinnamon stick 4 tomatoes chopped 20 small onions peeled ½ c sliced almonds toasted salt & pepper
Cook prunes in water and a little honey until soft.
Fry meat in butter, add chopped onions & garlic, cook until golden.Add spices & tomato pureé, tomatoes, s & p.Cook 5 – 10 min, add enough water to cover.Add bone from lamb, simmer 30 min.
Separately, fry small onions in butter until golden, add to meat & cook until thick tender stew.Add prunes, sprinkle almonds over.
Meatball Tagine with Lemon
½ onion 2 tab parsley 2 slices white bread 1 egg 500g minced beef or lamb ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp black pepper 1 tsp salt
Process onion & parsley until finely chopped.Add rest of ingredients, process to a paste and roll into walnut-sized balls.Keep chilled.
1 tab butter or oil ½ onion finely chopped ½ tsp paprika ½ tsp tumeric ¼ tsp cumin 1 red chilli (or tsp flakes) 375ml chicken stock 2 tab coriander 2 tab parsley 2 tab lemon juice ½ preserved lemon (optional)
Sauté oil & onion until golden.Add spices and cook 1 min.Add stock & coriander & bring to boil.
Add meatballs, shaking to separate.Cover & simmer 45 min.Add parsley & lemon juice and preserved lemon chopped.Serve with bread.
richard198,
Jan 10, 8:17pm
How childish! ("I shall put the recipe up tomorrow if that's ok!").False promise! There is a recipe or two in the links I have posted above. ( As well asdavidt4's recipe above and on the other thread about tagine cooking.)
richard198,
Jan 10, 8:17pm
How childish! ("I shall put the recipe up tomorrow if that's ok!").False promise! There is a recipe or two in the links I have posted above.
phoenix10111,
Jan 11, 12:06am
Thank you all for the recipes and input into the casserol/tagine debate. I'm sure whichever way there are cooked they will be delicious. Going to Morocco is on my bucket list so when I do go, I will certainly be buying a tagine :)
nzl99,
Jan 11, 11:56am
Talking of North Africa, I tried something new today. was lovely. had buckwheat in which to turn into a new and sellable "salad" today. so cooked it off in some vege stock. then drained and added chopped dates soaked in oj, dried apricots, sliced almonds, green onion and dry fried some spices (cumin, allspice, chilli flakes, fennel seeds, sumac, cinnamon, just a bit pf tumeric)and tossed it all up with S&P, evoo and a good glug more of fresh oj. and threw in the zest for good luck too.Was really interesting!GF, DF and Vegetarian too.
Although that has nothing to do with tagines. reading this thread yesterday must have planted the Moroccon idea in my mind.
cookessentials,
Jan 11, 5:38pm
Mmmmm, what can I say! well at nearly 11pm, I was not about to type it up, if thats ok with you.
richard198,
Jan 11, 6:31pm
If you like Mediterranian/Middle Eastern food, have you tried Tabouleh! It's a very refreshing (vegetarian) dish that goes with almost anything else. http://www.lebaneserecipes.com/Tabouleh.htm
hezwez,
Jan 11, 8:14pm
Where is it elliehen!
cookessentials,
Jan 11, 8:53pm
Deleted by Trademe hezwez.
stella99990,
Jan 11, 9:10pm
Thanks for all your help. I haven't quiet got the hang of doing it on the stove top with the gas but the one I did in the oven was beautiful.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.