Unleash The Magic Of Tagine Cooking

The tagine is a traditional North African cooking pot with a conical lid, used to make a rich, aromatic stew. The word tagine refers to both the pot and the food cooked inside it. Tagines are usually made from earthenware, metal, or flameproof glazed ceramic. They are slow-cooking pots that can be used on a stove or in an oven. Tagine pots have a dual role: they are used for cooking and serving food. The cooking process is simple and requires very little work from the cook. Tagines are ideal for making rich, slow-cooked stews with meat, poultry, or fish.

How to layer the ingredients

When layering the ingredients in a tagine, it is important to remember that the tagine is ideal for rich, slow-cooked stews with a balance of sweet and savoury flavours. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to layer the ingredients:

Step 1: Create a Base Layer

Start by placing a layer of sliced onions across the base of the tagine. This will create a bed for the remaining ingredients and prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom and burning. You can also scatter chopped onions, or crisscross celery or carrots to make a bed for fragile ingredients like fish.

Step 2: Add Garlic

Add garlic to the base layer. You can chop it, press it, or leave the cloves whole. Adding it at this stage ensures that it will be fully cooked and meld with the sauce.

Step 3: Add Oil

Ample oil is the foundation of a rich sauce in a tagine, so don't be afraid to use a generous amount. Most recipes specify 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil. Moroccan cooks often use a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil.

Step 4: Arrange the Meat

Place the meat, poultry, or fish in the centre of the tagine, usually in a mound, so that vegetables can be arranged around it. If using meat on the bone, place the pieces bone-side-down to reduce the risk of scorching.

Step 5: Season the Meat and Onions

Create a Moroccan spice mix by combining salt, pepper, ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric, saffron, and a little cayenne pepper. Sprinkle some of this mixture over the meat and onions, concentrating on the onions so that the spices will meld with the oil and liquids to create a rich sauce.

Step 6: Arrange and Season the Vegetables

Add the vegetables, layering them around the meat or arranging them in a conical fashion. Try to get them to stand upright, as it makes a lovely presentation. Season the vegetables with the rest of the spice mixture.

Step 7: Add Colour and Flavour

Dress up the tagine by adding strips or slices of bell pepper, preserved lemon, olives, and an herb bouquet of parsley and cilantro. A jalapeño or chilli pepper is optional.

Step 8: Add Water or Broth

Finally, carefully add water or broth to the tagine. Be careful not to wash away any of the spices. Do not add hot liquid to a cold tagine, or vice versa, as this can cause thermal shock and crack the tagine.

The role of oil in tagine cooking

Oil is an essential component of tagine cooking, a traditional Moroccan cooking style named after the distinctive earthenware pot in which it is cooked. Tagine cooking involves slow-cooking savoury stews with meat, vegetables, and sometimes fruit. The role of oil in this process is crucial to developing a rich sauce.

The type and amount of oil used in tagine cooking can vary depending on the recipe and personal preference. Most tagine recipes specify between 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil, and it is important to use the full amount called for to ensure a rich sauce. While some recipes may call for olive oil, others may use vegetable oil, or a combination of both. Olive oil, especially extra virgin olive oil, contributes a lot of flavour, so a small amount can go a long way. Vegetable oil, on the other hand, is a more cost-effective option and can be used in larger quantities without impacting flavour.

When assembling a tagine, the oil is typically added after creating a base layer of vegetables such as onions, celery, or carrots, and garlic. This base layer helps prevent the meat from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot. The oil is then added generously, creating the foundation for a rich sauce.

Using ample oil is crucial to the tagine cooking process as it helps to develop a thick and flavourful sauce. Reducing the amount of oil can result in a less flavourful or watery sauce. Therefore, it is generally recommended to use the full amount of oil specified in the recipe to ensure the best results.

In summary, oil plays a central role in tagine cooking by creating a rich sauce that enhances the overall flavour of the dish. By using the appropriate type and amount of oil, home cooks can ensure their tagine develops a thick and savoury sauce that complements the meat, vegetables, and fruits cooked within it.

Preparing meat for a tagine

Selecting the Meat

Choose the type of meat you want to use, such as lamb, beef, or chicken. You can opt for boneless or bone-in meat. If you select bone-in meat, the bones will contribute to a richer sauce and add flavour to the dish.

Cutting the Meat

Cut the meat into bite-sized or 2- to 3-inch pieces. This step ensures that the meat cooks evenly and becomes tender during the slow cooking process.

Seasoning the Meat

In a large bowl, combine the meat with salt and other spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, or clove. You can also add ground spices like paprika, cumin, coriander, or turmeric. Mix well to coat the meat evenly with the spices. Let the seasoned meat sit for at least an hour at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. This step helps the seasoning penetrate the meat, adding flavour and tenderness.

Browning the Meat (Optional)

Before assembling the tagine, you can choose to brown the meat. Heat some olive oil or a mixture of olive and vegetable oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the meat in batches, leaving space around each piece, and cook until well-browned on all sides, which should take about 10 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.

Arranging the Meat in the Tagine

Place a layer of sliced onions across the base of the tagine to create a bed for the meat. This step prevents the meat from sticking to the bottom and burning. You can also add chopped garlic to the onions. Then, arrange the meat in the centre of the tagine, placing the pieces bone-side-down if using bone-in meat.

Adding Oil and Liquid

Add the specified amount of oil to the tagine, usually between 1/4 to 1/3 cup. This step is essential for developing a rich sauce. Pour in the required amount of water, stock, or broth carefully along the side of the tagine to avoid washing away the spices.

Now you're ready to cook your tagine! Remember to be patient during the cooking process, as tagines require slow cooking to develop their unique flavours.

Spices and seasoning

A heady mix of spices, called ras el hanout, is at the heart of a good tagine. In North Africa, each cook traditionally makes their own often highly complex spice blend. However, a simple mixture of spices that are easy to find can be used instead. Spices such as ginger, cinnamon, clove, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, saffron, nutmeg, peppercorn, coriander, and turmeric are commonly used in tagines. These spices can be mixed and used to coat the meat and vegetables before adding them to the tagine, or they can be sprinkled into the tagine one at a time.

When preparing a tagine, it is important to use fresh spices, as this will result in a more intensely flavoured sauce. To test the freshness of your spices, simply smell them. If they are not noticeably fragrant, they will not add much flavour to the dish. It is also recommended to shop at a spice retailer, as they tend to grind spices more frequently, resulting in fresher and longer-lasting spices.

In addition to the spices, ample oil is also key to creating a rich sauce in a tagine. Most tagine recipes specify using between 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil. While you can reduce the amount of oil, doing so will result in a smaller yield of sauce or a watery sauce. Moroccan cooks often use a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil, either for flavour or as a matter of frugality.

Cooking methods and temperatures

Tagine cooking is a slow-cooking method that requires very little work from the cook. The pot does most of the work! The traditional clay cooking vessel is placed over low to medium-low heat and left to slowly stew. The conical lid of the tagine allows steam to circulate during cooking, creating condensation that drips back onto the ingredients, keeping the food moist. This means you don't need to add too much liquid to the dish.

Tagine cooking is best done slowly, so be patient as the dish reaches a simmer. This can take up to half an hour if there is a lot of liquid. Once simmering, the tagine can be left relatively undisturbed. Reduce the heat if the tagine is simmering rapidly; a slow or medium simmer is ideal. A beef tagine might require about 3 hours of simmering, while chicken could take half that time and lamb an hour longer.

Check the level of the cooking liquids after about 2 hours. If the liquid has reduced to a sauce-like consistency, add more water. If there is still a lot of liquid, simply close the lid and leave it alone. If there is still quite a bit of liquid when the meat is nearly cooked, prop the lid open with a spoon to allow for a quicker reduction.

Tagines should not come into direct contact with the heat source. If using an electric stove or flat cooktop, use a diffuser. If cooking outdoors, a special tagine brazier can be used, or the tagine can be placed on the rack of a grill or over a small fire on the ground (use rocks to keep the tagine above the flames). These methods require more attention than stovetop cooking as it is trickier to maintain an adequately low temperature.

Tagines are usually seasoned before first use. This involves preparing the base and lid for future use by sealing and strengthening their structure. This is done by soaking the tagine, brushing it with oil, and cooking it in a low-heated oven for a couple of hours.

Frequently asked questions