Delicious Tagine Recipes: Exploring Moroccan Cuisine's Signature Dish

Tagine is a North African dish that is cooked in a clay pot with the same name. The word tagine refers to both the pot and the food cooked inside it. The dish is usually a blend of sweet and savoury flavours, with meat, fish or vegetables slow-cooked in spices, oil and water. The clay pot is cone-shaped, with a wide and shallow base and a conical lid. The unique shape of the tagine pot promotes steam circulation, allowing food to be cooked with very little water. This made it a handy cooking vessel for nomads in the desert, where water was scarce.

Meat, poultry, and fish

Tagine is a Moroccan dish, though it is common throughout North Africa. It is revered for its balance of sweet and savoury flavours. The word "tagine" refers to both the cooking pot and the aromatic stew cooked inside. The pot is a clay or ceramic, cone-shaped vessel with a wide and shallow base and a conical lid. The shape of the tagine pot promotes steam circulation with very little water, which then creates condensation that drips back onto the meat, keeping the food moist.

Meat, poultry, or fish is usually arranged in the centre of the tagine. If using meat on the bone, place the pieces bone-side-down to reduce the risk of scorching the meat. For recipes that call for browning the meat, this is best done in a separate skillet since a clay or ceramic tagine should not be used over high heat.

Tagines are often cooked slowly in the oven or on the stovetop. The tagine should be brought to room temperature before cooking. After adding the ingredients, the tagine is placed in the oven or left to cook on the stovetop. It is important to note that the tagine should not come into direct contact with the heat source, so if using an electric stove or flat cooktop, a diffuser should be used.

Lamb Tagine

Lamb is a popular choice for tagines and can be combined with a variety of ingredients. Here are some ideas for lamb tagines:

• Lamb and merguez sausages
• Lamb, squash, and apricot
• One-pan lamb tagine with chickpeas
• Lamb tagine with dates and sweet potatoes
• Lamb tagine with prunes
• Lamb tagine with Christmas spices
• Lamb tagine with peas and artichokes
• Lamb tagine with dates
• Lamb meatballs
• Aromatic lamb with dates

Chicken Tagine

Chicken tagines are also a common choice and can be made in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions:

• Moroccan chicken meatball tagine
• Chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives
• Chicken and apricot tagine
• Chicken tagine with potatoes and olives
• Chicken tagine with couscous

Fish Tagine

Fish tagines are also an option and can be combined with various ingredients. Here are some ideas:

• Fish tagine with potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers
• Cod and olive tagine with brown rice
• Fragrant fish tagine

Vegetables

A tagine is a Moroccan stew traditionally cooked in an earthenware cooking vessel with a cone-shaped lid. The steam circulates inside the pot, allowing the flavoured condensation to drip back into the stew.

Ingredients

You can use any vegetables you like for a tagine, but here are some common ones:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Turnips
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Pumpkin/squash
• Eggplant/aubergine
• Cauliflower
• Fennel
• Olives
• Chickpeas
• Apricots
• Prunes
• Raisins
• Almonds
• Parsley
• Coriander
• Saffron

Method

First, sauté the onions and garlic. Then, pan-roast each vegetable individually, just until they get some colour. Next, cook the tomatoes for a minute, add the spices, and cook for another minute. Add all the vegetables back in, along with some water (or stock). Cook covered in the oven for 30 minutes, or on the stove over a low heat. Finally, stir through lemon juice and zest, and garnish with fresh herbs.

Spices

When using spices in a tagine, cooks usually strive for a balance of sweet and savoury flavours. For example, ginger, cinnamon or cloves can be used to bring out the sweetness of the meat, alongside braised fruit such as apricots, prunes or raisins, and savoury seasonings like parsley, pepper or saffron.

It is important to use fresh spices when cooking a tagine, as this will create an intensely flavoured sauce. If you are pressed for time and have only stale spices, you can add a little more than the recipe calls for. It is also often more economical to shop at a spice retailer, as they tend to grind the spices more frequently, resulting in fresher spices that will last longer.

Oils

Moroccan cooks often use a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil. This is because extra virgin olive oil contributes a lot of flavour, but vegetable oil is cheaper. Some people also use sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, or argan oil as a finishing oil. Ghee (clarified butter) can also be used, as it has a high smoke point.

When preparing a tagine, you should first lightly cook the onion and spices in oil. You can then add the meat and pour over the liquid before covering with the lid.

Breads

A tagine is a great vessel for baking bread. It can be used to bake any type of bread, from sourdough to focaccia. The key to using a tagine for baking bread is to ensure that it is made from clay or terracotta, and to avoid using glazed tagines as these can leach chemicals into your bread.

To bake bread in a tagine, first soak the base and lid in water for around 15 minutes. Then, place the tagine in a cold oven and preheat to 232 degrees Celsius to heat the vessel slowly. Shape your dough into a rounded loaf the size of the base of your tagine. Place the dough into the base of the tagine, cover with the lid, and return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for a further 15-20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Some bakers prefer to use a banneton to shape their loaf, as it gives the bread a rustic, artisan look. If you are using a banneton, be sure to flour it well to prevent the dough from sticking. You can also dust the base of your tagine with flour or use parchment paper to prevent sticking.

When baking bread in a tagine, it is important to remember that the heat is directional, with the bottom of the loaf cooking more quickly than the top. This can result in a denser loaf, so some bakers recommend "slashing" the top of the dough to allow the loaf to rise evenly.

Overall, a tagine is a great option for baking bread, providing a moist environment and good oven push. With a little experimentation, you can create delicious, moist, and flavourful loaves with a beautiful golden crust.

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