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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