Beef And Prune Tagine Recipes

Steps:

• Put the butter and oil in a large saucepan.
• When the butter is melted, put in the spices, coriander and onion.
• Let fry for 30 seconds, then add the beef and stir well to coat.
• Cover the meat with a cup of water and the saffron mixture.
• The water should be just over halfway up the meat.
• Bring to the boil and then lower to a gentle simmer.
• Add half the prunes and cook for 1-1/2 hours until the meat becomes tender and juicy.
• Keep the pot mostly covered during this time -- the only time I lift the cover is for a few seconds if the heat builds too much and it starts to boil. You need to keep this dish at a very low simmer.
• Add remaining prunes along with the honey, salt and pepper.
• Simmer for another 30 minutes or until the meat is tender and the liquid has thickened and reduced.
• Serve with the sesame seeds and almonds on top.

Steps:

• Serving suggestion: Lightly seasoned couscous.
• To make the spice rub: Mix the ras el hanout, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Put the beef into a large bowl, massage it with the spice rub, then cover with plastic wrap or clingfilm and put into the refrigerator for a couple of hours-ideally overnight. That way the spices really penetrate and flavour the meat. When you're ready to cook, heat a generous lug of olive oil in a tagine or casserole-type pan and fry the meat over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the chopped onion and coriander (cilantro) stalks and fry for another 5 minutes. Tip in the chickpeas and tomatoes, then pour in 1 3/4 cups/400 ml stock and stir. Bring to the boil, then put the lid on the pan or cover with foil and reduce to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours. At this point add your squash, the prunes and the rest of the stock. Give everything a gentle stir, then pop the lid back on the pan and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours. Keep an eye on it and add a splash of water if it looks too dry. Once the time is up, take the lid off and check the consistency. If it seems a bit too runny, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more with the lid off. The beef should be really tender and flaking apart now, so have a taste and season with a pinch or 2 of salt. Scatter the coriander (cilantro) leaves over the tagine along with the toasted almonds, then take it straight to the table with a big bowl of lightly seasoned couscous and dive in.

Steps:

• Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• In 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot. Add half of the beef and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned. Use slotted spoon to remove beef and place in bowl. Repeat with remaining beef.
• Add additional oil to pan if necessary. Add onion and cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
• Return beef to pan. Stir in broth, ginger, pepper, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the saffron if desired. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Gently simmer uncovered 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in prunes, honey, cinnamon and cumin. Cook uncovered 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender and prunes are plumped but not falling apart.
• Stir in almonds, lemon juice and orange flower water. Sprinkle with parsley and serve over couscous if desired.

Steps:

• Place a deep skillet or casserole that can be covered over medium-high heat, and add oil. Brown meat well on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper, for 10 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon.
• In same pot over medium-high heat, sauté onion and tomatoes with a large pinch of salt and some pepper. When they soften, about 5 minutes, stir in paprika, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Return meat to pan, and add stock and wine; bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. If mixture starts to dry, add a little water or stock.
• Remove cinnamon and bay leaf, and stir in sugar and prunes. Simmer until prunes and meat are soft, another 30 to 45 minutes. (Dish can be made in advance to this point; let sit for a few hours, or cover and refrigerate for up to a day before reheating and proceeding.) When meat is very tender, uncover pot and add vinegar; if necessary, raise heat so sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot, garnished with parsley.

Steps:

• Mix together ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cloves and rub into beef.
• Cook onion and garlic in oil in a heavy-based casserole or saucepan until soft, add beef and cook for 2-3 minutes until beef is browned.
• Add lemon rind and juice, honey, prune juice, harissa and salt and bring to boil, Simmer gently until meat is tender (1 1/2-2 hours).
• Check tenderness at 2 hours.
• Prepare couscous when meat is nigh on cooked.
• Boil 2 1/2 cups water, pour into a large bowl with couscous and let it stand for about 10 minutes until all water is absorbed.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and fry onion until soft.
• Add remaining ingredients, stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add onion to couscous and mix well.
• Cover with foil to keep warm until meat is cooked.
• Create a ring of couscous on each plate and spoon beef into the middle.
• Garnish with the fresh cilantro leaves (coriander).

Steps:

• Par-boil the carrots in boiling water for about 3 -5 minutes.
• Preheat the electric Tagine or crock pot to High.
• Heat up half of the olive oil in a large frying pan and quickly brown the onion quarters over a fairly high heat until charred & coloured well. Tip them into the crock pot.
• Add the chopped garlic & par-boiled carrots to the onions in the crock pot.
• Make up 1/2 pint of stock with a beef stock cube. Add the honey to the the stock & ALL the dried spices. Tip the honey & spiced stock into the crock pot & mix well. Add the cinnamon stick.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, dates & prunes to the crock pot - mix well.
• Heat up the remaining olive oil and brown the beef cubes in small batches to sear & seal them. As you finish browning them, add the beef to the crock pot.
• When you have finished browning all the beef, give the whole mixture a good stir & season with salt & pepper.
• Cook on high for between 6 & 10 hours depending on your crock pot's wattage & settings.
• Serve the beef tagine with fluffy couscous and garnish with the chopped fresh coriander & toasted flaked almonds. It also works well with rice too.
• P.S. Watch out for the cinnamon stick! We sometimes award the lucky winner of the cinnamon stick with an extra glass of wine!
• P.P.S. You can use dates & prunes which have not been pitted, they do tend to hold their shape better too, just warn your guests that they must look out for the stones!