Kefta Tagine - Moroccan Meatball Stew

When I was asked to be a part of an international pot luck last week, I knew that I wanted to cook something from Morocco. There are so many delicious Moroccan recipes, but many of them don't lend themselves well to a "pot luck" environment. I wanted to go with something that was representative of the flavors of Morocco, and yet was easy to manage, and serve. I decided to go with Kefta Tagine - Moroccan Meatball Stew.

Kefta Tagine is pretty straightforward. The preparation is as simple as cooking tomato meatball sauce for spaghetti,... the difference is in the spices used. Which makes a world of difference.

Ingredients
For the kefta (meatballs)
1lb ground beef
1 onion, very finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 egg
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
salt and black pepper
For the tagine (stew)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 14oz can of tomato sauce
1 14oz can chopped tomatoes, drained
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp plain sugar
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

***4 free-range eggs - only for the alternative preparation***

Preparation

1. For the meatballs, place the beef, onion, garlic, all spices, fresh herbs and egg into a large bowl. Knead with your hands to form a smooth paste. Roll into walnut-sized balls and set aside.
2. In a large, preferably a heavy-bottomed casserole, heat the olive oil and add the onion. Cook on medium for a few minutes.
3. Add the prepared meatballs and cook until lightly browned on all sides.
4. Combine the tomato sauce with the canned tomatoes, along with the sugar. Cover and simmer for twenty-thirty minutes or until sauce thickens to your liking. During this time slowly add the extra cumin taste-testing it to your liking.
5. Add chopped parsley as garnish before serving.

Alternative Preparation

After completing step 4, carefully break the eggs onto the top of the stew. Place the tagine or casserole into the oven and bake until the eggs are cooked to your liking, approximately ten minutes.

You can also add vegetables, such as peas or green beans, to the stew. Be surea to add them at the same time that you add the tomato sauce. You may need to add a cup, or so, of water if you add vegetables. Allow for some extra simmering time if you add vegetables.

Serving

This tagine is usually served to guests in a decorated tagine, such as the one in the above image. It is eaten with bread or couscous, or by itself. It is also makes a great sauce for pastas!

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Panama!

I was fortunate enough to visit Panama with some friends during the Thanksgiving holidays last week. It was such an enriching experience, and the landscape was breathtaking! I had never experienced that sort of intense humidity, lush vegetation and rain forest rain.

The highlight of my time there was when we were taken on a boat through the rain forest and spend some time with members of the Embera tribe that live in the forest near the Panama Canal.

Spending time with the Indian tribe was special. I was reassured about how similar people are as we swam together under a waterfall, as I giggled with a young girl about my name (its very similar to the plant they use to weave baskets- Nawala), or when a little Indian child came to sit on my lap,... unprompted.





It was a great experience to see how the environment, the plants and the atmosphere has such a powerful impact on cultures. It is what determines the food you eat, the crafts you make and the way you live.












Embera tribe traditional body painting. Just like Henna!





(Man Vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel debuts its new episode tonight, November 30th 9/8pm. The survivor man Bear Grylls hunts with the Embera tribe. )



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Travelling Morocco 2007

I was inspired to start this blog for the same reason that I was inspired to move to New York City when I was 18, and, more recently, to start a business importing things from Morocco- its the desire to learn and share as much as possible about culture, all cultures,... about people.




About how similar we are, and how different, and how we can all relate so strongly to each other.

Back in April, I went on my first official buying trip to Morocco. Six months later I received my first container full of handcrafted pieces from Morocco.





Now, just a few weeks shy of launching the web store, I'm reminded about what made me decide to do this. Its all about sharing the experience.

www.moracoimports.com