Moroccan kefta tagine - Episode 4.7
In March this year I was fortunate enough to travel around Morocco for almost 3 weeks. Morocco is everything you thought and a total surprise! It's wonderful. The colour; the noise of the markets - motorbikes and donkeys; the aroma of bread being cooked on open fires; the spice markets; the tagines; the amazing craftsmen; the souks (covered markets) - I loved it all and would love to return again.
As both bread and couscous are a staple food in Morocco my menu choices were at times a little restricted due to coeliac disease. The incredible range of olives, goats cheeses, salads, amazing oranges and dates meant I never went hungry.
One meal I had often, was a kefta tagine. Although each dish was similar - meatballs in a tomato sauce, often with a poached egg, each was subtly different with a range of spices used. They were cooked and served in an individual portion in restaurants and cafes, but at home the cooking was done in a large tagine as pictured here.
The cloth in this photo is an example of the beautiful, double sided embroidery made by artisans in Fes.
Tagines
Tagines are a traditional Berber cooking implement from North Africa. Most often made from earthenware, that are designed to be cooked over an open fire. In most cases where I saw them being used, they were placed on an earthenware stand on a gas burner. This is to protect the base of the tagine, and prevent it from cracking. When cooking at home, I use a diffuser to protect the base from the direct flames.
The cone shaped lid, allows the steam to condense and return to the pot, keeping the dish moist and delicious. This is especially important when cooking chicken dishes, as the majority of chicken eaten is skinless - but that's a story for another day.
If you don't have a tagine, you can cook this dish in a large frypan with a lid.
To see how to make this wonderful dish, click here to see my YouTube video
Recipe
Serves 4
Sauce
Combine lamb, onion, garlic, parsley and spices in a large bowl. Roll mixture into walnut sized balls.
Heat the oil in the tagine, and cook the meatballs in batches until browned all over. Remove meatballs and set aside.
Add the onion to the tagine and a little more oil if required. Cook until onion is soft. Add garlic and spices. Cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
Add the meatballs back into the tagine, and cook for 10 minutes until cooked. Carefully add the eggs. Cover and cook for 3 minutes until the eggs are poached.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Updated May 2023
As both bread and couscous are a staple food in Morocco my menu choices were at times a little restricted due to coeliac disease. The incredible range of olives, goats cheeses, salads, amazing oranges and dates meant I never went hungry.One meal I had often, was a kefta tagine. Although each dish was similar - meatballs in a tomato sauce, often with a poached egg, each was subtly different with a range of spices used. They were cooked and served in an individual portion in restaurants and cafes, but at home the cooking was done in a large tagine as pictured here.
The cloth in this photo is an example of the beautiful, double sided embroidery made by artisans in Fes.
Tagines
Tagines are a traditional Berber cooking implement from North Africa. Most often made from earthenware, that are designed to be cooked over an open fire. In most cases where I saw them being used, they were placed on an earthenware stand on a gas burner. This is to protect the base of the tagine, and prevent it from cracking. When cooking at home, I use a diffuser to protect the base from the direct flames.
The cone shaped lid, allows the steam to condense and return to the pot, keeping the dish moist and delicious. This is especially important when cooking chicken dishes, as the majority of chicken eaten is skinless - but that's a story for another day.
If you don't have a tagine, you can cook this dish in a large frypan with a lid.
To see how to make this wonderful dish, click here to see my YouTube video
Recipe
Serves 4
• 700 g minced lamb
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbl finely chopped fresh parsley
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• Olive oil
Sauce
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 800 g tin diced tomatoes
• 2 tbl finely chopped fresh parsley
• 4 eggs
Combine lamb, onion, garlic, parsley and spices in a large bowl. Roll mixture into walnut sized balls.
Heat the oil in the tagine, and cook the meatballs in batches until browned all over. Remove meatballs and set aside.
Add the onion to the tagine and a little more oil if required. Cook until onion is soft. Add garlic and spices. Cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
Add the meatballs back into the tagine, and cook for 10 minutes until cooked. Carefully add the eggs. Cover and cook for 3 minutes until the eggs are poached.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices.
Updated May 2023
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