Moroccan Beef and Eggplant Tagine
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4 tablespoons plain flour
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3 tablespoons from a Herbies Tagine Mix spice seasoning OR the following 4 ingredients
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1 teaspoon dried herbs
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1 tablespoon toasted coriander seeds ground
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1 tablespoon toasted cumin seeds, ground
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Pinch of dried chili flakes
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Salt and freshly ground pepper
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800g lean stewing beef cut into chunks
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4-5 tablespoons oil
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1 large red onion, finely sliced
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8 garlic cloves, whole with skin on
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2 red peppers, deseeded and finely sliced
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1 small eggplant, cut into 2.5cm chunks (I used 2 long baby eggplants)
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1 tablespoon thick honey
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400ml beef stock
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250g peeled potatoes, sliced into small chunks
Step 1 - Put the flour and spice mix into a large plastic or Ziplock bag and season well with salt and pepper. Add the beef and give everything a good shake so that the beef is well coated with the spiced flour. This bit is fun and I'll use any excuse to use a Ziplock bag.
Step 2 - Put 2 tablespoons of oil in the Tagine and place on the hob to heat on medium heat. Fry the beef, in two or three lots, until nicely browned all over (you may need to add more oil). Transfer the meat to a bowl.
Step 3 - Then gently fry the onion in the remaining olive oil until softened. Add the meat back into the Tagine and scatter the whole garlic cloves, sliced peppers, eggplant and potato chunks over. Stir the honey into the beef stock and pour over the beef.
Step 4 - Put the lid onto the Tagine and cook on the job over a gentle heat or cook in the oven at 190c (I put it in the oven) for about 1 hour. After an hour, stir the contents as they will have reduced down and try and coat all of the pieces with the deliciously scented gravy and replace the lid and continue to cook for a further 30 minutes or so, until the beef is meltingly tender. Stir in the chopped coriander if desired and serve immediately with buttery couscous and a handful of raisins stirred into it.
36cm Emile Henry Tagine available from Kitchenware Direct. Oh and they price match too which is handy to know ;)
Creamed polenta
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3 cups milk
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3 cups water
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1 cup polenta
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60g cheese, finely grated
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Salt and pepper
Step 1 - Combine milk and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Add polenta, stirring constantly and reduce heat to low.
Step 2 - Whisk polenta vigorously for 1-2 minutes until polenta thickens.
Step 3 - Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately as this will set firmly or if you prefer this to be set pour into greased dariole moulds to set (and use 1 1/3 cup of Polenta instead of 1 cup so it is thicker and therefore easier to set).