Ingredients

For filling

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 to 2 tbsp. vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper (any color), finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• cayenne or black pepper, to taste
• 1 generous tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 to 2 handfuls pitted green olives, chopped or sliced

For the dough

• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1 1/2 cups (236 ml) warm milk
• 4 1/2 cups (or 600g) flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, very soft or melted
• vegetable oil, for brushing the tops of the baked rolls

Preparation

Make the Filling

1. In a large frying pan or skillet, saute the onion and pepper in the oil over medium heat for several minutes.

2. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently and breaking up any large pieces of meat with your spoon.

3. Stir in the spices, then thoroughly blend in the tomato paste. Stir in the olives, remove the filling from the heat and set aside to cool.

Make the Dough

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and milk with yeast, and stir the mixture to form a sticky dough barely firm enough for kneading. (Use small additions of flour or milk if necessary to achieve this consistency.)

3. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes, or in a mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes, until very smooth but still a bit sticky. (The dough will lose its tacky quality after rising.)

4. Transfer the kneaded dough to an oiled bowl, turning the dough over once to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm, draft free area for an hour or longer, until doubled in bulk.

Shape and Stuff the Rolls

1. After the dough has risen, turn it out onto your work surface. Divide the dough into smooth 1 1/2" balls.

   [CAP: The recipe says that it makes 20–24 appetizer-sized buns. You can make twelve instead, and they come out hamburger-bun size.]

2. Take a ball of dough and pat it out into a flat circle (approx. 3" in diameter) which is thinner around the edges and a little thicker to the touch in the middle.

3. Add a generous tablespoon of filling to the middle of the dough, then gather the edges up around the filling, pinching to seal and fully enclose the dough. Turn the stuffed ball of dough over and gently roll it under your palm against your work surface to smooth its appearance.

4. Transfer the stuffed dough to an oiled baking sheet (or pan lined with oiled parchment paper) and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

5. When all of the rolls have been shaped, cover the tray with a towel and leave the stuffed dough to rest for 30 to 60 minutes, until light and puffy.

Bake the Stuffed Rolls

1. Preheat your oven to 425° F (220° C).

2. Bake the rolls in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until medium golden brown.

3. Remove the pan from the oven and, if desired, lightly brush the tops of the hot rolls with vegetable oil or butter. (This is an optional step if a soft crust is desired.) Transfer the rolls to a rack, cover loosely with a towel and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

About Food, Christine Benlafquih

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 chicken quarters
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp. cilantro
• 3/4 c. chicken stock
• 1 preserved lemon
• salt pepper

Preparation

Heat the oil in a tagine on medium. Fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes without coloring. Cut the chicken quarters into two pieces each. Add to the tagine and brown, turning frequently. Lower heat if necessary. Add turmeric, 1 tbsp. cilantro, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Rinse the preserved lemon, discard the pulp, and cut the peel into thin strips. Stir into the chicken. Cover the tagine and simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid and, if needed, boil rapidly for a few minutes to thicken. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

Le Creuset tagine booklet

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 lb. lamb fillet, cut into thick pieces
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. pitted dates, chopped
• 1 1/2 c. water
• cilantro to garnish

Preparation

Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a tagine on medium. Fry onion, fennel, and garlic until just beginning to brown. Transfer to a plate.

Add the rest of the oil and fry the lamb until evenly browned.

Add all the spices and the salt to the meat and stir well, cooking one minute.

Return onion, fennel, and garlic to the tagine. Add dates and 1/4 c. water. Stir well.

Cover and cook very gently, stirring occasionally, for 3-3 1/2 hours. The spices will thicken the liquid, so check after 1 1/2 hours and add the rest of the water little by little.

Serve with couscous.

Le Creuset tagine booklet

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2" pieces
• 2 tsp. harissa paste
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, roughly chopped
• 6 baby eggplants, stalks trimmed, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 c. okra, tops removed
• 2 tbsp. parsley
• 1 c. water
• a few pinches salt

Preparation

Heat the oil in a tagine on medium. Fry onion, garlic, carrots, celery until all just beginning to brown. Stir in harissa and cook for one minute. Add tomatoes, 1 c. water, and salt. Cover and cook gently for 30-40 minutes, until vegetables are beginning to soften.

Add eggplants, and cook for 15 minutes. Add okra and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

For serving, the consistency should be quite thick. Remove the lid and boil if needed. Stir in parsley just before serving.

Le Creuset tagine booklet

Ingredients

• 1 pound merguez sausage
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced
• 1 lemon, quartered [CP: can see no reason why this wouldn’t be a preserved lemon]
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup green olives, pitted
• 1/2 pound zucchini, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise
• 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 3 teaspoons cumin
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 10-ounce box couscous

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Use a tagine if you have one, but if not a big dutch oven will do. Add the cinnamon, coriander, paprika, turmeric and cumin to the pot.

Add the lemon, onion, fennel, garlic and green olives to the pot and cook until softened, for about 15 minutes. Taste for salt.

Meanwhile, brown the merguez sausage in a skillet over medium heat and reserve the cooking oils. Set aside.

Add the tablespoon of flour and mix well. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and allow to bubble for 5 minutes.

Place the merguez, plus the oil rendered from the merguez, and the remaining vegetables into the pot. Add the chickpeas, dried apricots and the raisins. Continue to cook over medium for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the merguez is cooked through.

For the couscous, follow the directions on the box, and stir in the turmeric before covering the pot to give the couscous a bright yellow hue.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with couscous.

Laila Gohar, Food Republic

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 3 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 pound dried brown lentils, rinsed, drained
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Combine 8 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Add lentils; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well; rinse with cold water and drain again. Place in large bowl.

Whisk 1 cup olive oil, vinegar, 2 tablespoons cumin, 2 tablespoons chili powder, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in large measuring cup. Pour 1 cup dressing over warm lentils and toss. Cool.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until dark brown and soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken; sauté 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and cinnamon. Sauté until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.

Arrange lentils on large platter. Place sliced chicken atop lentils. Drizzle with remaining dressing and sprinkle with parsley. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Bon Appetit, January 2004

Ingredients

For the tagine:

• 6 pounds lamb shanks
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large onions, thickly sliced
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• One 2-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled and slivered
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 1 rounded teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 rounded teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 scant teaspoons cayenne
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 2 cups pitted prunes
• 4 cups chicken broth or water
• 1 cup tomato puree

For the garnish:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup whole blanched almonds
• Large pinch of salt
• Small pinch of sugar

Preparation

Serves 6; Total Time: 4½ Hours

1. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 2 hours (or refrigerate over-night). Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions, season with salt and crumble saffron over them. Saute over medium heat until softened and slightly browned. Add garlic, fresh ginger, cinnamon stick, coriander and cumin seeds, powdered ginger and cayenne. Stir together, remove from heat and correct the seasoning. Add raisins and half the prunes.

3. Put the lamb in an enamelware dutch oven or deep sided baking dish and spread the onion mixture over the meat. Stir together broth or water and tomato puree and pour over. Cover the pan with foil and a tight-fitting lid.

4. Bake for about 2 hours, or until meat is meltingly tender.

5. Remove the foil and lid, add the second cup of prunes and submerge them. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Return lamb to the oven, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, to let it brown a bit.

6. Carefully lift meat from sauce and put in a low wide bowl or storage container. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce. If sauce seems thin, pour it into a low saucepan and reduce over high heat. Check the seasoning and adjust. Pour sauce over meat and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

7.The next day, remove and discard any congealed fat. Gently reheat the stew, covered, in a low oven.

8. Just before serving, fry the almonds for the garnish. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat and fry the almonds gently, stirring occasionally. When the almonds are golden, blot on paper towels and sprinkle with the salt and sugar.

9. Transfer tagine to a warmed platter and scatter almonds over lamb.

David Tanis, Wall Street Journal

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 4 pigeons, about 1 lb. each, with livers and giblets (or doves, cornish game hens, or, most easily, chicken thighs)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp saffron threads, crushed
• 1 cup water
• 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
• 8 eggs

For the Almond Layer:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups slivered blanched almonds
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

For Assembling the Pie:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 14-16 phyllo sheets, thawed

For Serving:

• 3 TBSP confectioner’s sugar
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
• whole blanched almonds for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Cut the birds in quarters and rub with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat and saute the bird, turning often, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Removed to platter.

2. To the same pan add onion, liver and giblets and cook until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the herbs, spices and water and bring to a boil. Return birds, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove meat from pot (leave juices in pan) and, when cool enough, shred meat and chop innards.

3. Over high heat, reduce pan juices to about 1 3/4 cups. Add lemon juice.

4. Meanwhile, beat eggs in bowl to blend. Stir the eggs into the pan juices and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until soft curds form. (this takes a while.) Season with S & P. Remove from heat and drain in a strainer. Set aside.

5. Fry the almonds in butter over medium heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Chop coarsely, place in small bowl and toss with sugar and cinnamon.

6. Heat oven to 350. Brush a 14" pizza pan with butter. Arrange 8 phyllo sheets like the spokes of a wheel, brushing each with butter. The sheets should overlap so that all of the pan is covered and they should overhang the edges of the pan generously. Be sure to butter the edges well. Sprinkle 1/3 of the almond mixture in a 10" circle in the center of the pan. Top with half of the eggs. Top with all the meat, then the remaining eggs, then the remaining almonds. Fold the phyllo edges over the filling. Top with phyllo sheets as you did the bottom, this time tucking the edges under the pie.

7. Bake until golden on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully drain off the excess butter. Invert a second baking sheet over the pie and flip. Return to the oven to brown, 10-15 minutes. Flip again, then bake 5 minutes longer.

8. Slide onto serving platter. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon (and almonds).

Ingredients

Kefta:

• 1 lb. (about 1/2 kg) ground beef or lamb (or a combination of the two)
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika (or 1/8 teaspoon ground hot pepper)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Tomato Sauce:

• 2 lbs. (about 1 kg) fresh, ripe tomatoes

• 1 medium onion, grated (optional)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or 1/4 teaspoon ground hot pepper

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

• 3 cloves garlic, pressed

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 3 or 4 eggs (optional)

Preparation

Start Cooking the Tomato Sauce

Cut the tomatoes in half, seed them and grate them.

Mix the tomatoes, onions (if using) and the rest of the sauce ingredients in the base of a tagine or in a large, deep skillet. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (Note: If using a tagine, place a diffuser between the tagine and burner, and allow 10 to 15 minutes for the tomato sauce to reach a simmer.)

Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, just enough heat to maintain the simmer but low enough to avoid scorching. Allow the sauce to cook for 15 to 20 minutes before adding the meatballs.

Make the Kefta Meatballs

Combine all of the kefta ingredients, using your hands to knead in the spices and herbs. Shape the kefta mixture into very small meatballs the size of large cherries – about 3/4 inch in diameter.

Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce, along with a little water – 1/4 cup (60 ml) is usually sufficient – and cover. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the sauce is thick.

Break the eggs over the top of the meatballs, and cover. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, until the egg whites are solid and the yolks are partially set. Serve immediately.

Kefta Mkaouara is traditionally served from the same dish in which it was prepared, with each person using crusty Moroccan bread for scooping up the meatballs from his own side of the dish.

Christine Benlafquih, About.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups white flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 or 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• additional flour for kneading
• cornmeal, semolina, barley grits or oil for the pan

Preparation

Prepare two baking sheets by oiling the centers, or by dusting the pans with a little cornmeal, semolina or the barley grits.

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a large well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the yeast.

Add the oil, honey and the water to the well, mixing to dissolve the yeast first, and then stirring the entire contents of the bowl to incorporate the water into the flour.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and begin kneading the dough. If necessary, add flour or water in very small amounts to make the dough soft and pliable, but not sticky. Continue kneading for 10 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth and elastic.

Divide the dough in half, and shape each portion into a smooth circular mound. Place onto the prepared pans, and cover with a towel. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.

After the dough has rested, use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough into circles about 1/4" thick. Cover with a towel, and leave to rise about one hour, or until the dough springs back when pressed lightly with a finger.

Preheat an oven to 435°F (225°C).

Score the top of the bread with a very sharp knife, or poke the dough with a fork in several places. Bake the bread for about 20 minutes – rotate the pans about halfway through the baking time – or until the loaves are richly colored and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer the bread to a rack or towel-lined basket to cool.

Christine Benlafquih, About.com