Delicious Tagine Recipes For Your Next Dinner Party

Tagine is a North African stew named after the clay pot in which it is cooked. The word tagine refers to both the pot and the food cooked inside it. It is usually a blend of sweet and savoury flavours. The dish is slow-cooked and is traditionally made with meat, vegetables, spices, and fruit. Tagines are typically cooked over charcoal fire, but they can also be cooked in an oven or on a stovetop. While a traditional tagine is made from earthenware, modern cooks often prefer metal or glazed ceramic tagines for convenience. Tagines are known for their moist meat, fish, or vegetables, as the conical lid allows steam to circulate and condense, dripping back onto the food.

Moroccan chicken with meatballs and olives

Tagines are slow-cooked stews that are usually made with chicken or lamb, but almost any protein can be used. They are cooked in a special clay pot, also called a tagine, and are named after it. The pot has a unique, conical shape that allows steam to circulate during cooking, creating condensation that drips back onto the food and keeps it moist.

Now, here is a recipe for Moroccan chicken with meatballs and olives, cooked in a tagine:

Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Ras El Hanout spice blend (or Moroccan spice blend)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 lb ground chicken (mix of dark and white meat preferred)
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 cup panko (or other breadcrumbs)
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• Zest from half a lemon
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• Cucumber, sliced thin
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Parsley, for garnish
• Olives (optional)

Method:

• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat.
• Add the shallots and cook until they start to soften and turn brown, then add the spice blend and stir.
• After a minute, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the shallot mixture, Greek yogurt, parsley, panko, egg, and lemon zest. Mix well.
• Use a cookie scoop to portion out the mixture into round balls, about 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons each.
• Heat the same skillet over medium heat and add a splash of olive oil.
• Add the meatballs and sear on each side for about 2 1/2 minutes, then transfer to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cooked through.
• Remove the meatballs from the skillet and serve with the yogurt dip, olives, and any other toppings.

Enjoy your delicious Moroccan chicken with meatballs and olives, straight from the tagine!

Lamb tagine with dried fruit and harissa paste

Tagine is a North African stew named after the clay pot in which it is prepared. It is usually a blend of sweet and savoury flavours.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of bone-in lamb stew meat or lamb neck, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 2½ teaspoons of kosher salt, more as needed
• 1¾ cups of lamb or chicken stock
• 5 ounces (1 cup) of dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• ½ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger
• 2 small cinnamon sticks
• ½ teaspoon of ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon of ground turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• ⅓ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• ½ cup of slivered almonds
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste

Instructions:

• Combine the lamb and 2 teaspoons of salt in a large bowl. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• In a small pot, bring the stock to a boil. Remove from heat and add the apricots, letting them sit for at least 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a tagine, Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, warm the olive oil over medium heat.
• Working in batches, add the lamb to the pot, leaving room around each piece to help with browning. Cook until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pieces to a plate as they brown.
• Drain the fat if necessary, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the onions and ¼ teaspoon of salt, cooking until soft (about 8 minutes).
• Add the tomato paste, ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, and spices. Cook until fragrant, which should take about 2 minutes.
• Add the lamb, any juices on the plate, the apricots, and stock. Cover the pot with foil and then its lid, and cook in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the lamb is tender. Be sure to turn it occasionally.
• While the lamb is cooking, prepare the almonds. In a small skillet, heat the butter and 1 cinnamon stick over medium heat. Add the almonds and ¼ teaspoon of salt, cooking until golden brown (about 5-7 minutes). Discard the cinnamon stick.
• To serve, transfer the lamb and juices to a serving platter. Top with the toasted almonds, any remaining butter, scallions, parsley, and cilantro. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste.

This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, adjusting the cooking time as needed.

Vegetable tagine with apricots

Tagine is a stew-like North African dish, named after the earthenware vessel in which it is cooked. It usually blends delicious sweet and savoury flavours.

This is a vegan, gluten-free tagine recipe that is a good source of iron and gives you all 5 of your 5-a-day.

Ingredients:

• Coconut or olive oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ butternut squash (500g), chopped into large chunks
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 400g can of chickpeas, drained
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 500ml of vegan vegetable stock
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• A small bunch of coriander, chopped
• A small bunch of mint, chopped, plus extra to serve
• Pomegranate seeds, to serve (optional)
• 80g dried apricots, chopped
• 20g flaked almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp preserved lemon, finely chopped, plus 2 tsp liquid from the jar

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and butternut squash, and cook for a further 7 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and continue to fry for 3 minutes before adding the chickpeas, tomatoes, stock, cinnamon and seasoning. Simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered.

Meanwhile, make the apricot quinoa. Put 750ml of water in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, then add 200g of quinoa and cook for 20 minutes. When cooked, stir in the apricots and almonds, plus a pinch of salt.

To make a tahini dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl and season with a pinch of salt.

Serve the quinoa with the tagine, and drizzle the tahini dressing over the top. Scatter over some coriander and mint, and the pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Variations

You can replace the apricots with dates, or use a combination of both. You can also replace the quinoa with couscous or rice.

Moroccan beef stew

Ingredients

• 1kg boneless beef, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, sliced into rings
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of Ras el Hanout (optional)
• 2 or 3 small cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/4 bunch of cilantro, tied with kitchen twine
• 1 cup of dried apricots
• 3 tablespoons of sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of fried almonds (optional)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Firstly, mix the spices together in a small bowl. Then, place the beef in a large bowl and coat the meat with the spices. Heat half of the oil in a large pan and brown the onions, placing them in a flameproof casserole dish. Then, brown the meat in the remaining hot oil, doing this in batches to get a good colour. Transfer the meat to the casserole with the onions.

Next, add all the remaining ingredients (except the apricots, sugar/honey, cinnamon, almonds and sesame seeds). Stir well and bring to the boil. Place in the oven at 180ºC for approximately 1½ hours, or until the meat is very tender.

While the meat is cooking, prepare the apricots by placing them in a small pot and covering them with water. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain the apricots and add the sugar or honey, cinnamon, and the reserved liquid from the meat. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until the apricots are sitting in a thick syrup.

Finally, remove and discard the cilantro. Place the meat on a large serving platter and spoon the apricots and syrup on top. If desired, garnish with fried almonds and sesame seeds. Serve with couscous or rice.

Tunisian chicken tagine with couscous and green harissa sauce

The recipe includes chicken, couscous, and a green harissa sauce, with the option to add chickpeas, carrots, dried apricots, and Tunisian spices. The sauce is made with a blend of fresh herbs, spices, and chilli peppers, adding a burst of flavour and heat to the dish.

To make the dish, heat olive oil in a large skillet or tagine over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until translucent, then add minced garlic, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. If using chicken, add and cook until browned, then add sliced carrots and vegetable or chicken broth. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

While the tagine is simmering, prepare the green harissa sauce by blending cilantro, parsley, garlic, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, ground cumin, coriander, caraway seeds, salt, and olive oil until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve the chicken tagine over cooked couscous and drizzle with the green harissa sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley, and enjoy!

This recipe is a great way to enjoy the flavours of Tunisia and can be customised to your taste preferences.

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