Tajine 1068539 225963867 2008-07-16T06:07:26Z 70.80.107.143 [[Image:MarrakeshTagine2.jpg|thumb|250px|A tajine dish as served in Marrakesh.]] [[Image:ZnuTjn2a.jpg|thumb|250px|A vegetable tajine dish as served in a London restaurant.]] A '''tajine''' or '''tagine''' ({{pronEng|tɑːˈʒiːn}}; [[Arabic language|Arabic]]: طاجين, {{IPA2|tˁaːdʒiːn}}) is a type of dish found in the [[North African]] cuisines of [[Morocco]],which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay which is sometimes painted or [[glazed]]. It consists of two parts; a base unit which is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving. Recently, European manufacturers have created tajines with heavy cast iron bottoms that can be fired on a stovetop at high heat. This permits browning meat and vegetables before cooking. While the similar [[Dutch oven]] and [[Sač]] spell (sach) (a cast iron pot with a tight cover) braises most efficiently in the oven, the tajine braises best on the stovetop. ==Moroccan Tajine== Tajines in [[Moroccan cuisine]] are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. They are traditionally cooked in the tajine pot, whose cover has a knob-like formation at its top to facilitate removal. While [[simmering]], the cover can be lifted off without the aid of a mitten, enabling the cook to inspect the main ingredients, add vegetables, move things around, or add additional [[braising]] liquid. Most tagines involve slow simmering of less-expensive meats. For example, the ideal cuts of lamb are the neck, shoulder or shank cooked until it is falling off the bone. Very few Moroccan tagines require initial browning; if there is to be browning it is invariably done after the lamb has been simmered and the flesh has become butter-tender and very moist. In order to accomplish this, the cooking liquid must contain some fat, which may be skimmed off later. <ref name=tajine>{{cite web|url=http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/mor_tagine.html|author=Paula Wolfert|title=Recipe for Moroccan Tajine|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Moroccan tajines often combine lamb or chicken with a medley of ingredients or seasonings: [[olive]]s, [[quince]]s, apples, pears, apricots, raisins, prunes, dates, nuts, with [[lemon|fresh]] or [[preserved lemon]]s, with or without honey, with or without a complexity of spices. Traditional spices that are used to flavour tajines include ground [[cinnamon]], [[saffron]], [[ginger]], [[turmeric]], [[cumin]], [[paprika]], [[black pepper|pepper]], as well as the famous spice blend [[Ras el hanout]]. Some famous tajine dishes are [[mqualli]] or [[emshmel]] (both are pairings of [[chicken]], olives and [[citrus fruit]]s, though preparation methods differ), [[kefta]] (meatballs in an [[Egg (food)|egg]] and [[tomato]] sauce), and [[mrouzia]] ([[Lamb and mutton|lamb]], [[raisin]]s and [[almond]]s). Other ingredients for a tajine include any product that braises well: [[fish]], [[quail]], [[pigeon]], [[beef]], root [[vegetable]]s, [[legume]]s, even [[amber]] and [[aga wood]]. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paula-wolfert.com/books/cous_recipe.html|author=Paula Wolfert|accessdate=2008-04-27}}</ref> Modern recipes in the West include pot roasts, [[ossobuco]], lamb [[shanks]] and turkey legs. Seasonings can be traditional Moroccan spices, French, Italian or suited to the dish. ==</sup><sup><small>Superscript text</small></sup> ==Tunisian tajine== What Tunisians refer to as a "tajine" is very different from the more well-known Moroccan dish.<ref name=tajine>{{cite web|url=http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/tun_tagine.html|author=Paula Wolfert|title=Recipe for Tunisian Tajine|accessdate=2008-04-18}}</ref> [[Tunisian cuisine|Tunisian]] cooks, when speaking of tagines, will refer to them having a “beginning,” a “middle” and an “end.” "The "beginning" is usually a simple [[ragout]] of meat cut into very small pieces and cooked with onions and various spices, such as a blend of dried [[rosebuds]] and ground cinnamon known as ''[[baharat|bharat]]'', or a robust combination of ground [[coriander seed|coriander]] and [[caraway seed]]s called ''tabil''.<ref>http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/divine-secrets-of-the-mahjoub-sisterhood}}</ref> Then something starchy is added to thicken the juices - common thickeners include [[cannellini bean]]s, [[chickpea]]s, [[breadcrumb]]s or cubed potatoes. When the meat is tender, it is combined with whatever ingredient has been chosen to be the dominant flavoring. Examples include but are not limited to fresh [[parsley]], dried [[mint]], saffron, sundried tomatoes, cooked vegetables, or even stewed calf's brains. The "middle" part is the enrichment of the stew with cheese and eggs. The "end" is the final baking in a deep pie dish, either on the stove or in the oven until both top and bottom are crisply cooked and the eggs are just set, somewhat like an Italian frittata. When the tajine is ready, it is turned out onto a plate and sliced into squares, accompanied by wedges of lemon. Tunisian tajines can be made with seafood, or as a completely vegetarian dish. In rural parts of Tunisia, home cooks place a shallow earthenware dish over glowing olive wood, fill it, cover it with a flat earthen pan, and then pile hot coals on top. The resulting tajine is crusty on top and bottom, moist within, and is infused with a subtle smoky fragrance. {{commonscat}} ==References== *{{cite web|url=http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/mor_tagine.html|author=Paula Wolfert|title=Recipe for Moroccan Tajine|accessdate=2008-04-27}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.paula-wolfert.com/recipes/tun_tagine.html|author=Paula Wolfert|title=Recipe for Tunisian Tajine|accessdate=2008-04-18}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.paula-wolfert.com/books/cous_recipe.html|author=Paula Wolfert|title=Recipe index for Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco|accessdate=2008-04-27}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/divine-secrets-of-the-mahjoub-sisterhood|author=Nancy Harmon Jenkins|title=Divine Secrets of the Mahjoub Sisterhood|accessdate=2008-04-27}} [[ar:طاجين]] [[de:Tajine]] [[es:Tayín]] [[fr:Tajine]] [[id:Tajine]] [[it:Tajine]] [[nl:Tajine]] [[pl:Tajine]] [[pt:Tajine]] [[fi:Tajine]] [[Category:Moroccan cuisine]] [[Category:Tunisian cuisine]]