I don't have a tagine, which is a type of domed casserole dish used to make Moroccan tagines, or stews. Most involve some sort of freshly slaughtered animal, but we don't eat animals at Chez Flake, so mine involve freshly slaughtered carrots and potatoes.
I've made them using fruit, mainly dried apricots, a staple of Moroccan cooking, but a regular patron of Chez Flake prefers to keep his sweets and main dishes separate. I liked this fruitless recipe the best of all I've made; the simmered root vegetables are fork tender, and the last minute addition of lemon adds all the spark missing without the fruit.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 turnips, quartered
1lb new potatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons lemon juice
grated zest of 1lemon
salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time until golden.
Add the carrots, turnips, potatoes, and stock, bring to a boil then reduce the heat, cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until vegetables are fairly tender.
Meanwhile, place the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, paprika, and 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Add the herb mixture to vegetables together with the lemon zest. Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring from time to time. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot over couscous, with olives, hummus, and pita bread on the side.
