Beef Tagine with Green Olives

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This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Moroccan Tagines

by Nancy Gerlach 

 

Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

 
Beef Tagine with Green Olives 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds stewing beef, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon ground cayenne chile
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato puree
4 shallots, quartered
1 large potato, cubed
2 large carrots, diced
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt
1/2 cup pitted green olives

Instructions

Mix the paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic in two tablespoons of the olive oil and tomato in a large bowl. Add the beef and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight,

Heat the remaining oil in the bottom of the tagine or skillet and fry the shallots, potaotes, and carrots until they begin to color. Remove.

Add the beef and brown on all sides. Return the vegetables to the tagine along with the chopped tomatoes and any remaining marinade. Cover and cook over a low heat for 3 to 4 hours or until the beef is tender.

Add the parsley, season with salt, and stir in the olives. Continue cooking for 15 minutes.

Serve this tagine with plain couscous.

Ras el Hanout

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Moroccan Tagines

by Nancy Gerlach 

 

Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
One 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
6 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried lavender (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Instructions

Heat a heavy skillet over high heat, add the caraway, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves and dry-roast until the seeds darken and become fragrant, being careful that they don’t burn. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

Place the toasted mixture in a spice mill or coffee grinder along with the lavender, and process to a fine powder. Sift the mixture if you want a fine blend.

Combine the toasted mix with the remaining ground spices and stir to blend. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place for up to 4 months.

Ras el Hanout-Spiced Berber Lemon Chicken Tagine with Almond-Stuffed Green Olives

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Moroccan Tagines

by Nancy Gerlach 

 

Tagines or tajines are wonderfully aromatic North African stews that combine meats, poultry, chicken, or fish with fruits, vegetables and a large variety of spices. The centerpiece of Moroccan meals, there are literally hundreds of traditional tagines as well as many regional variations 

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs, skin attached, or substitute chicken breasts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoon ras el hanout, store-bought or see recipe here
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/3 cup green olives stuffed with almonds
2 cups cooked couscous or rice

Sliced lemon peel and chopped fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish

Instructions

Rinse off the chicken, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, add the oil and when hot, place the chicken pieces, skin side down, in the skillet and fry for 5 minutes or until browned. Turn the pieces and brown on the other side. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet.

Add the onion to the pan and saute until it is softened. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for an additional couple of minutes. Stir in the ras el hanout, lemon zest, and flour. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to cook the flour. Whisk in the broth, raise the heat, and scrape all the bits and pieces from the bottom of the pan into the sauce. Add the lemon juice and honey.

Reduce the heat, return the chicken pieces to the pan, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is just done. Add the chickpeas and olives and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

To serve, create bed of couscous or rice on a large platter, place the chicken pieces on top, and pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the parsley and lemon peel.

Nam Phrik Num

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Making Thailand’s “Chile Water”

Story and Photos by Austin Bush

 

This is another northern style curry that has become popular among people all over Thailand. The main ingredient is phrik num, long slender green chiles that are almost exclusively used in this particular dish. Use whatever kind of skinny green chiles you can find. Depending on the chiles used, the nam phrik can range from mild to mouth-searingly hot.  

Ingredients

8 bamboo skewers
7 phrik num or other long green chile
10 cherry tomatoes
5 shallots
2 heads of garlic
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Prepare your grill to medium-high heat.

Skewer the chiles, tomatoes, shallots and garlic and grill until charred. Transfer the grilled ingredients to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 10 minutes. When the vegetables are just cool enough to handle, peel off burnt outside layer. 

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the grilled ingredients together with the salt until blended but still chunky (phrik num should ideally be in long strands or strips).

Serve in a bowl, alongside fresh and blanched vegetables, pork rinds, and sticky rice.

Nam Phrik Kapi with Fresh and Fried Vegetables

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This recipe and others can be found in the following article:

Making Thailand’s “Chile Water”

Story and Photos by Austin Bush

 

Nam phrik kapi is probably the most well known nam phrik in Thailand. As the name suggests, it is made with kapi, a salted and fermented paste of fine shrimp known as khoei and is always served with fresh and/or parboiled vegetables, as well as egg-battered deep-fried vegetables, as described below. The amount of ingredients listed below for the nam phrik are largely for reference; a Thai chef would virtually never use measuring instruments to cook, and a dish is usually made to taste, keeping in mind a desired balance of the four tastes: sour, spicy, salty and sweet. 

Ingredients

For the sauce:

3 or more phrik khii nuu (very small Thai chiles)

1 tablespoon garlic

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 cup kapi (Thai shrimp paste)

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons makheua phuang (pea-sized Thai eggplant)

For the vegetables:

4 eggs

1 Chinese or Japanese eggplant, sliced into 1 cm thick rounds and put in a bowl of water mixed with 1 tablespoon of vinegar to prevent browning

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 bunch cha om (Thai acacia leaves) or fresh basil leaves

An assortment of fresh Thai vegetables, such as eggplant, cabbage, carrot and green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Instructions

Using a mortar and pestle, grind the phrik khii nuu with the garlic until a rough paste is formed. Add the sugar and the lime juice and grind together. Add the shrimp paste and continue grinding until a paste forms. Add water. If the mixture is still too thick, add additional water, a teaspoonful at a time (nam phrik kapi should have the consistency of a slightly watery paste). Taste and add more chiles, lime or sugar, to taste. Add the makheua phuang, breaking slightly, but not grinding, with the pestle. Put nam phrik kapi in a serving bowl.

Beat eggs with a few drops of fish sauce or a pinch of salt, divide into two bowls and set aside. Drain eggplant and mix thoroughly with one of the bowls of egg. Heat cooking oil in a wok and taking two or three slices at a time, fry the eggplant in oil on both sides until crispy. Set on paper towels to drain. Remove the tender cha om leaves and blend with the eggs. Fry mixture in hot oil as a thick omelet or frittata, turning over to cook on both sides. Drain on a paper towel until cool then slice into bite-sized squares.

Arrange the fresh and fried vegetables on a plate and serve with rice and bowl of nam phrik kapi.