Dutch Oven, Moroccan Food

I love to make savory stews and tagine dishes, and I make them often. They are comforting, and soothing, on a cold winter's day. We've been having so much snow in New York. Snow storm after snow storm.

I always liked the idea of owning a dutch oven. I just love the durability and versatility of it - stove-top or in the oven, exactly like a real tagine. The only thing that stopped me from buying one in the past, is how expensive they are.

Recently, I took a trip to Macy's and was surprised to come across this Martha Stewart dutch oven. First, I was surprised that her company made dutch ovens (but then again, I guess if there's money in making them...), but I was particularly delighted by the price. Up until now, I would walk past Le Creuset or Emeril dutch ovens and just dream and drool, because they are so expensive and I am so cheap. Sure, they might not be quite as tough as a Creuset, but it works great for my tagines. I prepare the stew stove-top, then transfer it to the oven; then I relax and let it simmer until its time to eat,... and the meat is falling off the bone.

Here is the simple tagine I made last night. I used the vegetables and meat that I happened to have, but they can be substituted with your favorites (or with whatever veggies happen to be in your fridge).

The key is to get the spicing right, and to let it stew long enough for all the flavors to mingle. Feel free to get creative,... I always do.

1 pack chicken legs and thighs (about 8-10 pieces)
1/2 onion (chopped finely)
4 cloves of garlic (smashed)
1/3 pack of baby carrots (about 18-22 carrots)
1 large potato (chopped into about 1 inch squares)
8 tablespoons olive oil (approximately, enough to cover the bottom of the dutch oven)
12 leaves fresh spinach (approximately, a handful)
water

Spice blend

salt
pepper

ginger
tumeric
cinammon
(mix these with each other until you get the desired flavor your looking for)

Line the bottom of the pan with olive oil, over medium heat. Smash the garlic cloves and add them. Add salt and pepper to your chicken and place them in the dutch oven (uncovered) to brown and add flavor. Whether you leave the skin on the chicken or not is your choice. The skin will eventually become soft as you add water to the stew. Turn them around to brown on all sides. As they are browning, add the remaining spices. Add the onions (you may add these sooner to add more flavor to the chicken, just make sure that they don't burn). Add carrots, potato and spinach. Turn the temperature down to medium-low, and let it all simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add enough water to cover the stew halfway. Then cover and place in oven at 350-400 degrees. Check on it occasionally to be sure that there is enough water. It is ready after about 1 hour, but you can leave it in the oven for as long as you like (up to 4 hours. Just be sure that it has enough water). It will only become more savory!

If you have guests and would like to add to the illusion of being in Morocco, once it is cooked, serve it in a fancy decorative tagine.

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!

www.moracoimports.com