Moroccan Beef Tajine with Prunes and Almonds

On January 28, 2016  my husband and myself took a ferry ride from Tarifa, Spain to Tangier, Morocco.  It was a decision that we will never regret. Morocco boasted a medley of colors, tradition, history and good food.
I had always heard of the tajine used in Moroccan cooking, and even owned one that I bought at Costco years ago on a whim.  This clay, conical vessel slow cooks the food so that all the flavors come together to provide a rich, hearty meal.  On this particular trip we hired a tour guide who would take us to a restaurant in the Kasbah that provided an authentic lamb and prune tajine that left me hungering for more. I later got to meet the delightful cook who showed me how to cook a similar chicken dish on the stove.

Moroccans use a lot of preserved lemons and olives in their cooking which provides a unique flavor to the dish.
I made a promise to myself that when I returned home I would pull out my Tajine and cook my version of a beef and prune tajine. This can also be made in a slow cooker if you do not have a tajine, or in a ceramic oven proof dish with a tight fitting lid.

Ingredients

1 lb beef (stewing beef is fine) cut into large chunks
1 1/2 large onions finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
a teaspoon pepper (black)
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil
1/2 cup of wine (any kind) optional
about 10-12 prunes
1/2 cup almonds
 

Method

Add 3 tablespoons of oil to the base of the tajine.
Add the chopped garlic and onions and mix to form a layer at the bottom.

In another bowl mix the meat with all the spices and 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add the meat evenly on the top of the onions to form a layer.

Add the wine (I added 1/2 cup of a sweet home made plum wine) to the dish and cover it. Put the tajine in the cold oven and set the heat to 350 F.  When the oven reaches 350, set the timer for 1 hour.

In a small pan, cover the prunes with water and bring to a boil. Let them simmer until soft and plump.

Now add a little oil in a small pan and when the oil is heated add the almonds and brown lightly. Keep aside.

I did not need to add any water to the dish before the hour, but after an hour I added 1/3 cup hot water that the prunes were sitting in, and continued cooking for 30 minutes more.

After another 30 minutes I added another 1/2 cup of water from the prunes and let it cook for another 30 minutes and then removed the tajine from the oven.


Remove the cover of the tajine.  Check to see that the beef is tender and cooked. The gravy should be rich and thick.

 Add the prunes and put back in the oven for 10 minutes so that the prunes absorb the flavorful liquid.

Remove and sprinkle with the toasted almonds.  Serve with a good crusty bread so that all the rich flavors can be soaked up.  This dish can also be served with rice or couscous.