Morocco - Beef Tagine with Cauliflower and Variation

[Olga Drozd]

Morocco - Beef Tagine with Cauliflower and Variation

Slow simmering makes the meat buttery and soft, and the sauce if full of spicy flavour and delicious.

2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef stew meat, such as shoulder, chuck, blade or short ribs of beef (with some bone), cut into 1 1/4 inch chunks
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup salad oil

1 1/2 teaspoons sharp paprika (hot paprika)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup mixed chopped herbs (parsley and green coriander)
Water as needed

2 1/2 pounds cauliflower florets
Juice of 1 lemon

1.  Remove and discard the excess fat from the beef.  In a 5 1/2 quart flameproof casserole with tight fitting cover, place the beef with the turmeric, salt, pepper, and oil.  Fry, turning the meat often to lightly brown all sides.  Cover the casserole tightly and cook 15 minutes, without lifting the cover. The meat will cook in its own juices, drawn out by the salt over low heat.

2.  Stir in the remaining spices, chopped onion, herbs, and very little water. Simmer, covered, 1 1/2 to 2 hours over gently heat, until the meat is very tender (almost falling off the bones). Add water whenever necessary to keep the meat from scorching.

3.  Meanwhile in a separate 3 1/2 quart saucepan, cook the cauliflower in salted water until nearly tender. Drain and set aside until needed.

4.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

5.  In a shallow ovenproof serving dish, transfer the beef and gravy to the serving dish.  Place the drained cauliflower over the meat, cover with foil, and bake 15 minutes. Raise the oven heat to the highest setting, remove the covering, and transfer the dish to the upper shelf in the oven.  Bake until the cauliflower is lightly browned.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve at once.  Serves 4 to 6.

VARIATION BEEF TAGINE WITH SWEET POTATOES:

Same as the preceding recipe, but decrease the amount of sharp paprika to 1/2 teaspoon and cumin to just a few optional pinches; increase the amount of onions to 1 1/2 medium onions, finely chopped; substitute 2 ripe tomatoes and 1 pound sweet potatoes for the cauliflower; and omit the lemon.

Follow steps 1 and 2.

Blanch and peel the tomatoes, halve them crosswise and squeeze out the seeds, then cut into chunks.  Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch thick slices.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Transfer the meat and gravy to the oven proof serving dish.  Place the sweet potatoes over the meat and the tomatoes on top of sweet potatoes.  Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes, until the meat and potatoes are tender.  Remove the foil cover, raise the oven heat to 450 degrees F., and transfer the dish to the upper shelf of the oven.  Bake until there is a brown spotted crust over the tomatoes.  (If there is a great deal of gravy in the pan, pour off into a small saucepan and reduce over high heat to 1 cup before returning it to the dish.)  Taste for seasoning and serve at once.