Tagine Amazigh aux Légumes

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •30cm heavy clay tagine with diffuser, or a wide heavy braising pot with tight lid
• •Box grater for tomatoes
• •Small bowl for blooming saffron

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the base

   Set a heavy clay tagine over a diffuser on low heat, or use a wide heavy pot. Add the olive oil, onions, grated tomatoes, garlic, half the herbs, ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric, pepper, salt, and the bloomed saffron if using. Stir until the onions begin to soften and the tomato smells cooked, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Shape the cone

   Lay the tomato rounds over the onion base, then stand the carrots, potatoes, zucchini, turnip, and sweet potato or pumpkin in a cone, firm pieces toward the center and softer zucchini nearer the outside. This shape matters: the lid catches the juices, sends them down the sides, and lets the vegetables braise in their own sauce instead of drowning.

   Cut the vegetables close in thickness so they finish together. If one carrot is much thicker than the others, split it again.
3. 3

   Cook it tight

   Scatter the preserved lemon strips and olives over the vegetables. Spoon a little sauce from the base over the top, add the water only if the tomatoes look dry, then cover. Keep the heat low enough that the sauce murmurs at the edge, not spits. Cook for 50 to 60 minutes, turning the pot once or twice if your burner heats unevenly.

4. 4

   Check tenderness

   Lift the lid and test the carrot and potato with the tip of a knife. They should give without falling apart, and the sauce should be glossy, red-gold, and gathered at the bottom. If there is too much liquid, leave the lid slightly open for 5 to 10 minutes so it reduces.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Taste the sauce for salt, scatter over the remaining herbs, and finish with a thin spoon of olive oil. Bring the tagine to the table in its pot if you can, with warm khobz for scooping. The center belongs to everyone.

Chef Tips

• •Cook what the market handed you. In winter, lean on carrot, turnip, potato, pumpkin, and fennel. In summer, use zucchini, tomato, pepper, and small potatoes, but keep the cone and the low fire.
• •Preserved lemon means preserved lemon, not fresh lemon squeezed at the end. Fresh lemon gives sharpness; preserved lemon gives salt, perfume, and depth.
• •If you use ras el hanout in your house version, use only a small pinch and buy it from a merchant who'll tell you what's in it. Avec le ras el hanout, on ne triche pas.
• •Do not stir once the vegetables are arranged. Spoon sauce over them if you must, but let the structure stand so the pieces stay whole.
• •Serve with khobz, not rice. Bread is the hand of this dish, the way the sauce comes home.

Advance Preparation

• •The vegetables can be washed and cut up to 8 hours ahead, then covered and chilled. Keep potatoes in cold water and dry them before cooking.
• •The finished tagine keeps well for 2 days in the refrigerator. Rewarm gently over low heat with a spoon of water so the sauce loosens without breaking the vegetables.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 325g)