Hope In Christ

This is my second time cooking a Moroccan dish. My first Moroccan dish was Moroccan Chicken and I cooked it in a tajine on a stove top. However, this time I am not using a tajine pot to cook but to serve. My tajine pot is quite small and I am cooking this dish for 6. This is Beef Tajine, a recipe from Jamie Oliver.

This dish is very tasty and I like it very much because it is not heavily spiced like most Moroccan dishes. I like the chickpeas,prunes and squash in this dish, making it sweet and savoury. If you do not like prunes and squash, you can always omit them or replace with apricots, and other vegetables like courgettes,turnips or potatoes.

Moroccans like couscous and flatbreads with their mains, and for this beef tajine, I made flatbreads to scoop up the deliciously rich gravy. These flatbreads are also from Jamie;s and they are perfect combination with the beef tajine.


Beef Tajine
Jamie Oliver
serves 4-6


Ingredients

600g quality stewing beef (shin)
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 small bunch of fresh coriander
400g tinned chickpeas, drained
400g chopped tomatoes
800ml organic vegetable stock
1 small squash, approximately 800g, deseeded and cut into 5 cm chunks (butternut)
100g prunes, stoned and roughly torn
2 tablespoons flake almonds, toasted

For the spice rub
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 level tablespoon ras el hanout*
1 level tablespoon ground cumin
1 level tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 level ground ginger
1 level tablespoon sweet paprika


Method

• Mix all the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Put the beef into a large bowl, massage it with the spice rub, then cover with cling film and put into the fridge for a couple of hours - ideally overnight - that way the spices really penetrate and flavour the meat.
• When you're ready to cook, heat a generous lug of olive oil in a tagine or casserole - type pan and fry the meat over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add your chopped onion and coriander stalks and fry for another 5 minutes.
• Tip in the chickpeas and tomatoes, then pour in 400ml of stock and stir. Bring to the boil, then put the lid on the pan or cover with foil and reduce to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours.(2 hours)
• At this point, add your squash, the prunes and the rest of the stock. Give everything a gently stir, then pop the lid back on the pan and continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours (1 hour). Keep an eye on it and splash of water if it looks too dry.
• Once the time is up, take the lid off and check the consistency. If it seems a bit too runny, simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, more with the lid off. The beef should be really tender and flaking apart now, so have a taste and season with a pinch or two of salt.
• Scatter the coriander leaves over the tagine along with the toasted almonds, then take it straight to the table with a big bowl of lightly seasoned couscous and dive in. (flatbread)

*Ras el hanout (Arabic for "top of the shop") is a blend of the best spices a vendor has in his shop. The mixture varies depending on who is selling it, but can be a combination of anywhere from 10 to 100 spices. It usually includes nutmeg,cinnamon,mace,aniseed,turmeric,cayenne,peppercorns,dried galangal,ginger,cloves,cardamom,chilli,allspice and orris root.

Linking this post to Cook Like A Star "All Stars Anniversary" hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours,
Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids and Mich from Piece Of Cake.

Three times I was beaten with rods once I was pelted with stones, three time I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. 2 Corinthians 11:25

The apostle Paul had many pains and persecutions, but he also had much joy and hope.  He had hope and confidence in Christ knowing that he is saved and God would bring his redeeming work to completion.

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 
1 Corinthians 15:19