Finally - a tagine!

[labradors]

A while ago, a "surprise" gift came in with a shipment of some other things. It was, at last, a Rifi tagine:



After following the instructions for curing it, I finally cooked in it, for the first time, last night, using a Chicken Tagine recipe from the company's blog.

After I had piled everything together, it was ready to start cooking:



Since this was the first time I had used an actual tagine (or any such clay pot), I was VERY caution with it - TOO cautious, in fact. My gas stove tends to be pretty hot (or, to me, doesn't seem to go as low as some other stoves may go), so I used not one, but TWO heat diffusers, sandwiched together, between the burner and the tagine AND kept the heat on the lowest setting, hoping I just wouldn't break the tagine on its very first use (especially since I can't just pop down to the store for another one).

The recipe said to "cook until your vegetables are tender" and that it "may take up to an hour," so I checked it after an hour and it was nowhere close to being done.

Getting a bit less timid, I decided that it just wasn't getting hot enough and I increased the heat a bit. I did NOT, however, try to remove one of the heat diffusers, since it just would have been too tricky to have juggled everything.

After another hour, there still hadn't been much progress, especially with the veggies at the top. This made me consider the very small amount of water they had said to add. Given the way the tagine cooks, at least some of what happens must be due to steam, and that would help the heat circulation anyway, so I heated some water to near boiling (colder water could have cracked the tagine) and added that,

Since not much had happened in those first two hours, I decided to treat this as a fresh start and waited another hour.

FINALLY, the chicken was done and the onions were soft. My first tagine cooked IN a tagine was done!



Obviously, all of these initial experiences will be notes for the next time, but I'm sure that a single heat diffuser, high enough (but not TOO high) heat and more liquid will all make things work out properly the next time.

Aside from the first-time learning curve, the recipe and process, themselves, were very easy and the final product was DELICIOUS, so I'm not as discouraged as Jean had been and I am looking forward to doing this again - especially if and when I can get some lamb. For me, this was definitely worth the wait.

P.S.: Yes, I know that tagines may also be used in the oven, but these had been advertised as being usable on gas or electric stoves as well as in gas or electric ovens, and one of my reasons for wanting one was to use LESS gas by using the stove, instead of the oven.

[Harborwitch]

How fun! It sounds wonderful. If storage wasn't a problem I'd discuss one with Bob again.

Can you get goat??? Sometimes it can be subbed for lamb. We need some good Moroccan food - we haven't done that it a while.

[Gina_Choong]

oohh!! looks like I will have to share my tagine recipes here. Mine cooks in an hour. i love it with potatoes, carrots, radish piling at the bottom, followed by chunks of meat. Yes, no liquid or very little liquid is added.

Don't be afraid of it..just turn on the heat till its very hot like about 20 mins or so, then lower the heat and let it sit over low heat for an hour..every thing comes out perfectly done.

[cjs]

It's been so long now, that I don't remember the problems I had with it - but, I'm ready to go again! Maybe next week.

Bring them on, Gina!

[labradors]

Thanks, Gina. Sounds interesting.

Sharon, I wish I could get goat so I could make some Jamaican curried goat - that stuff is amazing. Shall have to check around again.

[Gourmet_Mom]

How exciting, Labs! I know you will enjoy it. I'll have to wait a while before I pick one of these up....but it's on the list. Maybe Gina will push it up the list with some of her recipes...LOL!

[luvnit]

You lucky guy! I am glad things finally worked out for you. I really want a tagine. I have wanted one for a long time and you have given me the tagine itch again. Love your pics too. Just lovely. I bet it smelled great too. Yummmm.

[pjcooks]

Yay, Labs! good for you! I hope you have lots of fun playing with it!

[Harborwitch]

Bob didn't say no. But the breakage vs. weight issue . . .??

Might just tell a daughter that I want a LaCrueset tagine for our anniversary this year!!!

[Gina_Choong]

Here's my tried and tested recipe, along with pictures.

Ingredients
8 pcs Baby back pork ribs
2 local potatoes, quartered
1 carrot, cut into smaller pieces
1/4 pc of medium red onion, sliced
pinch of salt
1 red tomato, cut into smaller wedges
1 clove of garlic, sliced

marinates for meat : Marinate with meat overnight
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp sugar
juice from one lemon
1 tbsp sesame oil
dash of pepper

Method
1. Put tagine pot on the stove, add 1 tbsp corn oil to heat. Add garlic and onions to fry till it sizzles. Use a wooden spatula to stir.



2. Add ribs on top and cook over medium heat.


3. Turn the ribs over to get an even browning..


4. Add carrots, potatoes on top of meat. Pinch salt and sprinkle on top.


5. cover with Tagine cover and lower heat. Let it to cook for 45 mins.


6. Remove the cover and add tomato wedges. Cover it again and continue to cook for a further 5 mins.

7. Turn off fire. Serve it in the Tagine pot.


Notes
I didn't add any liquid other than the corn oil. After cooking, the pot is filled with juicy essence from the meat, vegetables. If you want this soup to be more thick, then remove all the meat, veggies, and cook the gravy with a cornstarch mixture.