I had a $30 gift certificate from Williams and Sonoma burning a hole in my pocket, so Hubs and I loaded up last Saturday and ran over to nearby Aspen Grove Shopping Center. I had my doubts that I’d find any sort of kitchen item I didn’t already own, but when we walked into the store we were greeted by a display of Moroccan themed cookware. Exotic in color, hand painted tagines were surrounded by a set of vibrant dinnerware, flatware and linens, accented with with jars of earthy colored simmering sauces…$30??? I could have spent ten times that amount.
A tagine is a type of ceramic or clay cookware from North Africa. The bottom is a wide, circular shallow dish used for both cooking and serving. The lid of the tagine is shaped like a dome or cone. There’s a little hole in the top of the dome to allow for steam to escape during the a long slow cook.
Once home with my new toy, much to my surprise Google wasn’t all that kind with returning results for recipes. Tagine also refers to a savory dish, so many of recipes were simply adapted for a Dutch oven. I found several that called for stove top cooking in a tagine vessel, but I needed a diffuser for open flame, which I didn’t have. Then there was the glazed or unglazed clay issue further complicating knowing what to do.
I suddenly wished I had picked up a jar of the braising sauces that Williams and Sonoma offered, which included “just add meat” and simple cooking instructions.
After more than an hour of research, and no solid recipe, I nervously decided on a combination of lamb, preserved lemon and green olives. I was unsure of how much liquid to add, unsure of how full to fill the base, unsure of cooking time, and totally unsure of what temperature to set my oven. I’d bitten off more than I could chew and had no idea what to expect on our dinner plates that evening.
The aromas that filled the house during the long slow bake helped to ease my anxiety. So wonderful it’s hard to describe. I only lifted the cone once. After an hour I peeked inside to insure the cooking liquid wasn’t drying up. At that time felt comfortable to raise the oven temperature from 325 degrees to 350.
When the oven timer alerted that the 3 1/2 hour cooking time was complete, I had no idea what I’d find under that dome. The photo above is directly from the oven. The visual was only the beginning with a surprising flavor event to follow.
It was incredible. The sweet lamb had a melt in your mouth texture, pungent from the preserved lemon, savory from the green olives, and sweetened with raisins. Bob thought it was perhaps one of the best meals I’ve prepared. Simply sided with pearl couscous that had been flavored with lemon, salt and pepper, we were celebrating a successful kitchen adventure.
And talk about fun, taking that beautiful tagine from oven to table top made “gathering around the table” even more inviting. Now if I just had the $500 worth of Moroccan dinner ware….
Funny how a simple $30 gift certificate and turn a trip to a store into a dinner of discovery. With my new tagine came new ingredients.
Most Moroccan recipes called for green or red olives. Suspecting that these weren’t your run of the mill pimento-stuffed brined variety found in my refrigerator, I inquired at the olive bar at Whole Foods. The clerk had never heard of red olives and directed us to the the international aisle to see what we could find. We found ripe green olives packed in water. LOVE them. Mild in flavor they taste more like the black ”supermarket ripe” olive except with a more sophisticated flavor.
Then there’s the preserved lemon. I purchased my first jar last September at Savory Spice Shop and have just now had the opportunity to try them. What a unique and wonderful flavor.
Here’s what I did:
- 1½ pound lamb shoulder roast, cut into 6 large chunks
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- ½ Cup golden raisins
- 2 t. cumin
- ½ t. cinnamon
- 1 T. ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 preserved lemon, peeled, chopped
- ½ can green olives in water, drained
- 2 C. water
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In a skillet brown lamb pieces on each side. Place the lamb in the bottom of the tagine.
- In the same skillet, saute onions until tender. Add the garlic until fragrant.
- Spoon this over the lamb.
- Sprinkle on raisins, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, cilantro, preserved lemon and olives. Pour the water on top this mixture.
- Cover with the domed lid,
- Place in the oven. After one hour increase heat to 350. Cook for an additional 2½ hours.
- Finish with some chopped preserved lemon rind.
Lamb Tagine with Preserved Lemons, and Green Olives…It’s What’s for Dinner.
From the Kitchen of Lea Ann Brown
On this day..
Oh wow! I bought a bright yellow tangine pot in Home Goods in NYC about a year ago and have yet to use it! Your pot is beautiful!
As you said, online recipes are hard to find. Your lamb recipe sounds amazing! I’m so happy you gave sources as to where to find ingredients as I’d love to try this someday!
PS: I just sent you a reply e-mail–sorry it took me so long to see your e-mail “welcome to Colorado”!
If you need help with that tagine, I’m now the Moroccan tagine food expert. HA
How pretty. I’ve only had a tagine once, at a friend’s house who had just returned from Moracco and it smelled incredible too.
Funny. Gift certificates burn a hole in my pocket too
In my mind I spend them a thousand times.
Sam
That sounds like me. When I return from some place, I always try to recreate the food. I would have been one to run right out and purchase a tagine after a trip to Morocco. Delicious flavors.
This looks wonderful. Love these fragrant dishes. Going online to look for tangines!
Fragrant was right. Man the house smelled good.
I just LOVE tajine. My mother uses to cook one with apricot and figs. So yummy !
I saw a few apricot and figs while I was studying out recipes. It all sounded so good.
This sounds so good… glad you had success with your tagine.
Not as glad as me Karen. I had the Pizza Hut deliver number very handy.
What a beautiful tagine you bought and the recipe you made sounds lovely! I’ve never had a Moroccan meal!
I’ve never had a Moroccan meal either Susan. That’s why I was so nervous.
I didn’t know what a tangine was–sounds like it’s a wonderful kitchen accessory to have!
I’ve read about them several times over the years, but Williams and Sonoma are to blame for the plunge.
I love your tagine. Beautiful! The lamb looks out of this world too. I think green olives are good with anything
I agree with you Jane. Love those darn green olives.
I really, really, really need to take the tagine plunge. I love Moroccan flavors. I preserve my own lemons and always have green olives and lamb in the house. You can bet if I every get a tagine this will be the first recipe I make.
You should take that tagine plunge Rhonda. I also want to preserve my own lemons. One—of—these—days
I love that you used your gift card to buy something new and adventurous! And to get the compliment of this being one of your best dinner ever is saying a lot! Must have been a great meal, well done!
Yep, I unwittingly turned out a pretty good dish. And Hubs isn’t all that easy to please.
I’ve been eyeing a tagine at WS for some time! I think your dish looks wonderful! Excellent job winging it.
And I even have a jar of preserved lemons.
Barbara, I’ll look forward to that Tagine purchase and a recipe.
I love your write-up Lea Ann and the new dish looks very nice. I’m beyond impressed that you invented a Moroccan recipe – damn you’re good.
I wouldn’t exactly say I “invented” it. But thank you anyway! Yup, instant expert on Moroccan food. HA
Beautiful! I love the tagine you picked – gorgeous colors and designs. And the tagine you made in it looks amazing. I have never heard of red olives, but sometimes Costo sells those green olives packed in water – I could eat an entire container. I blogged about a tagine I made in my Dutch oven, but I am certain it would taste better prepared in a vented tagine.
p.s. You should make some preserved lemons with the Meyer lemons before they’re gone. Easy way to save some for later.
I’ve not heard of red olives, and the woman at WF olive bar claimed they weren’t the dark purple olives they sold. And yes, I can eat a whole container of those green olives too. I’ll have to go find your tagine recipe. And yes, I know I should make them myself. Hopefully I have time to gather up some Meyer’s this weekend.
I was just reading a tutorial on how to make preserved lemons last night! I will have to try making them and then try making this!!! I love this flavor combo…
I’ve read about making my own also. One of these days.
That’s one good looking tagine. Perfect for this time of year.
Thanks David. And thanks so much for stopping by my blog and taking the time to comment. Heading over to your site now.
I’m so jealous! I love new kitchen toys.. and a tagine is a fantastic toy!! The meal looks perfect!
I’m sure Williams and Sonoma would love to sell you one.
What a gorgeous tagine and such a wonderful meal that you made in it!
Thanks so much Joanne
Oh my goodness!!! I need a tagine! You did an amazing job, totally sold me!
I have always wanted one of these cookwares but I bet I would use it for latin & mexican foods. here is the jar of ground bay leaves I use – http://bit.ly/12dH92T and this tell all about the tabasco pepper which grows so easily along our area – http://bit.ly/Y1FDh7 –
Mardi Gras is kicking my butt so I have not been doing much bloggin lately – this is our busiest time of year… it will soon be over… yea!
Drick, thanks for those links. You don’t know how much I appreciate that. And too funny about Mardi Gras. It’s all about over-doing.
What a beautiful Tagine! And deliciously cooked lamb! Love it
Thanks Anshi.
I have wanted to get a tangine for years but haven’t gotten around to it. I would love this dish, the briny bite of green olives.
Me too Chris. I’m glad I finally bought one. A Tagine will most certainly work on the Green Egg.