Beef, Apple and Raisin Tajin
Last Updated: 2023-01-19
4 SERVINGS MODERATE 615 CAL ENTRÉE 150 MIN (30 MIN PREP + 120 MIN COOK TIME)
Today’s post is a collaboration with someone who’s very special to me. As you might have guessed, I love Morocco, especially the food. A few years ago, I was checking out a few different websites on Morocco and I came across a blog in Spanish that really caught my eye: La Cocina de Babel, i.e. The Kitchen of Babel.
She has tons of exotic recipes from practically every country in the world, and her photography skills are one in a million. When I started following Juana, I contacted her and ended up developing a nice friendship from a distance. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to see her in person yet, but it’s never too late to catch a flight!
Traveling opens a door to a new world, revealing a complex landscape of cultures and colors. For me, the most important thing about traveling is that it makes us more tolerant of the small variations that exist between human beings. It’s magical to see how similar we are despite our differences, and how the beauty of diversity makes the world a more enjoyable place!
Sometimes we fly to exotic places on the other side of the map seeking adventure and forget about the magical places close to home. It took me too long to realize that, very close to my home country of Spain, there is a mystical land, full of color, natural beauty, and exotic customs: Morocco.
Morocco is beautiful: its ancient cities, its exotic allure, its cultural wealth and―number one on the list of foody travelers―its wonderful cuisine!
I was lucky enough to have a Moroccan friend to introduce me to this breathtaking place. He took me to a roadside stall where we tried delicious lamb skewers. We had tasty camel steak “tajines” in the desert, fragrant “hariras” in little hole-in-the-wall places, and fresh fish by the sea. I immediately fell in love with Moroccan cuisine.
I adore tajines―stews cooked over low heat in the famous clay pot with a cone-shaped lid.
This recipe is typical made during the apple season and is a delicious mixture of contrasts… sweet, sour and salty… simple and delicious!!!
Ingredients
2 pounds (1 kilo) of beef chuck roast or shoulder cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes
2 pats (20 g) of butter
1 onion cut into thin slices
1 pinch of saffron threads
2 teaspoons of ground ginger
3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 tied bunch of cilantro (coriander)
¾ cup (120 g) of raisins
3.5 ounces (100 grams) of honey
2 tart apples (e.g. Granny Smith), washed, cored and quartered
Sesame seeds
Olive oil, salt and pepper
Directions
1 Heat a splash of oil along with a pat (10 g) of butter in a heavy-bottomed pot and brown the meat in batches. Set aside.
2 In the same pot, add the onion and sauté it over medium heat until it softens. Add the saffron, ginger, two teaspoons of cinnamon and freshly ground pepper. Stir all.
3 When the spice mixture starts giving off a cooked fragrance (one minute is enough) add the meat and the coriander bunch, add just enough water to cover the meat. Season and cook over low heat for 1 hour and 1/2 (add a little more water if necessary). At this point, add the raisins, 2.5 ounces of honey and cook for another ten minutes.
4 Meanwhile, melt a pat of butter in a pan and brown the apples, turning them occasionally, for about five minutes. Add an ounce of honey and the teaspoon of cinnamon, stir gently, turn off the heat and set aside.
5 Plate the meat, spread the apples over it and sprinkle with sesame.
If you want to learn more check out our page on Moroccan food recipes.
