
I’m always amazed at what a starchy society we live in. And what I mean by that is how much of our nationally consumed food is wrapped, rolled, encased and baked in wheat! Our craving for whole foods left the house somewhere in the 50’s and was replaced by the convenience of on the go starch bombs.
I was inspired to write this story following a business trip to Houston. The whole time we were there it was next to near impossible to find marinated, roasted or stewed veggies.
The whole time we were there I was craving something other than pizza, burgers, smoked pork and fries. A curry, pozole or tabouleh would have made my day; nevertheless all that was available at the hotel was uninspired flavorless foods.
To conclude the final chapter of the brisket chronicles I chose a dish that would win the hearts and minds of any American. Its explosive in flavor with tender meat, melt in your mouth veggies, herbs, olives, tart lemon and yes… a starch.
The dish is Beef tagine. It’s a Moroccan favorite that is slow cooked over an open flame and served in its namesake vessel. This also happens to be one of our favorite dishes at HOG as part of our Moroccan menu.
Oh and you can also buy an inexpensive tagine at Sur La Table. I think it was $15 bucks.
Any who-happy cooking, and a shout out to spring!
Beef Tagine with Preserved Lemons, Olives and Marrakesh Couscous
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Tagine
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds brisket or chuck
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons cumin seed
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups chicken or beef stock
1 cup tomatoes, peeled and chopped
½ cup Kalamata olives,pitted and halved
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon peel, thinly sliced
For the Couscous
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 small yellow onions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,finely minced
4 carrots, cut into small chunks
2 large yellow squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 large zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 ¼ cups chicken stock
2 cups couscous
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Garnish
flat leaf parsley, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
green onions, sliced
mint leaves, chopped
Instructions
For the Tagine
In a dry pan, toast cumin, fennel and coriander seeds for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer spices to a coffee grinder and grind until powdered.
Season beef or chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large pot or braising pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef to pan and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion and garlic to pan. Cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add spices; stir 1 minute. Add stock, olives, tomatoes and cilantro; bring to boil. Simmer until juices thicken, about 5 minutes.
In an oiled tagine, place the beef or chicken and any accumulated juices, lemon peel and simmered vegetables and broth. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven at 350° F for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Garnish with chopped parsley and cilantro.
For the Couscous
Heat oil in large heavy dutch oven over low heat. Add onions, ginger and garlic. Cook until onions are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and cayenne and cook for one minute.
Add stock, carrots, squash and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring mixture to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzos and butter, and then the couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
Fluff couscous with fork. Transfer to large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped mint and green onion.





















