This beef Tagine has lightly spiced beef with sweet undertones, it’s a real winter warmer that would work just as well with lamb. Once prepared you can leave it alone and let the oven do the work, perfect for a lazy Saturday but fancy enough to serve to guests.
Serves 6, or 4 if they are incredibly hungry!
Preparation Time: 40 minutes.
Cooking Time: 3.5-4 Hours, or until the beef is meltingly tender.
Ingredients:
1kg Eat Great Meat 21 Day Dry Aged Shin Beef, cut into large chunks – Substitute: 1kg Ox Cheeks or Braising Steak.
50g Plain Flour, seasoned, for dusting the meat.
4 x tablespoon Olive Oil, for sealing the meat – Divided.
2 Large Onions, roughly chopped.
6 Fat Garlic Cloves, minced.
1-2 Red Chillies, finely chopped. Amount dependant on level of heat desired – Substitute: 1-2 x teaspoon Chilli Powder.
1 x Sweet Pointed Red Pepper, roughly chopped. – Substitute: 1 x Red Bell Pepper.
1 x Thumb sized piece of Fresh Ginger, grated – Substitute: 1-1½ x teaspoon of Ground Ginger.
2 Small Cinnamon Sticks – Substitute: 1-1½ x teaspoon Ground Cinnamon.
2 x teaspoon Ground Coriander.
2 x teaspoon Ground Cumin.
1 x teaspoon Paprika.
½ x teaspoon Cayenne Pepper.
4 x tablespoon Tomato Purée.
160g Dried Apricots, chopped into quarters.
60g Sultanas.
600ml Beef Stock – Homemade, or from a Knorr Stock Pot.
2 x tablespoon Honey.
30g Flaked Almonds.
1 x teaspoon Dried Oregano.
1 x teaspoon Dried Marjoram.
Freshly ground Salt and Pepper, to taste.
Method:
1) In a large, heavy bottomed pan, sear the flour dusted Beef in the Olive Oil. Do this in small batches over a fairly high heat, until a good crust is formed on all sides. Remove beef to a dish using a slotted spoon, and set aside.
2) Reduce pan to a low heat, add a dash more oil, and fry off the onions for 5-10 minutes. Work any caramelised bits on the bottom of the pan into the onions as they cook.
3) Add Garlic, Chillies, Red Pepper and Ginger, stir well, and cook for a further minute or two.
4) Next, stir in the Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Paprika and Cayenne Pepper, again cooking for a minute or two, until they become aromatic.
5) Mix in the Tomato Purée well, then add the Apricots, Sultanas and the sealed Beef – add any juices that have collected at the bottom of the dish to the pan as well – give it all a good stir to coat the Beef in the spices.
6) Slowly add the hot Stock, stirring well.
7) Finally, gently stir in the Honey, Flaked Almonds, Oregano and Marjoram. Season well with freshly ground Salt and Pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
8) Cover with a well fitting lid, and place in an oven preheated to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 1 for 3.5-4 hours, or until the Beef is spoon tender. – At this point you could transfer to a traditional Tagine dish to cook.
9) When cooked, remove the Cinnamon Sticks and discard.
Delicious served on a bed of Couscous, or with a warm Moroccan Flatbread!
Recipe provided by Lindsay Ellis-Barnes – you can check out her Instagram here.
