Description
This dish is traditionally cooked in a tanjina, an earthenware pot similar to a tagine, but you can use a heavy-based casserole with a tight-fitting lid. It is traditionally cooked in the local hammam (public baths) or in a traditional baker's oven.
Ingredients
450g/1lb beef, cut into pieces
1 tsp ground cumin
½ preserved lemon, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp rancid butter (substitute with ghee if none is available)
1 pinch saffron
3 tbsp olive oil
200ml/7¼fl oz water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
½ small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
preserved lemon, finely chopped, to taste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
2. Place the meat pieces into the pot. Add the cumin, preserved lemon, parsley, garlic, rancid butter, saffron, olive oil, water, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Shake the pot to mix the ingredients together.
4. Seal the pot with a sheet of aluminium foil and cover with the lid. Cook in the preheated oven for 3-4 hours.
5. When it is ready, open the tanjina and transfer the stew into a tagine dish or a large serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and finely chopped preserved lemon and serve.
