20 replies to this topic

[Berlinsbreads]

I am interested in making a Tagine and I'm wondering how successful it is to substitute one of my Le Creuset French ovens instead of a true Tagine pot? Do I need a Tagine pot?

[HKDave]

You don't need a special tagine pot. You're basically making a stew, so anything that would work for a stew would work for a tagine. I use a plain cast iron frypan with a Pyrex lid.

[slbunge]

I think you can do a passable version in your enameled cast iron. I certainly have done it until I got a tagine this past Christmas (thanks, dear wife).

If you use a clay tagine the goal is to cook in it regularly so that you impart the flavor history of all your dishes to your current dish. So you won't get that with your LC. Another thing about the tagine is that the cover fits reasonably tightly and there is a lot of headspace to make a nice large steam chamber above the food. And the steam cools on the tagine surface condensing and keeping things moist. So if your LC is large enough you can simulate a similar effect.

If Ms Wolfert sees this she can certainly answer this better than I because it was her article about clay pot cooking that sparked my interest.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Beg to differ...

I made two tagines over the weekend (I'm working on an article on pairing Moroccan food with wine and needed LOTS of product to test with). But I only owned one tagine so I had to resort to my Le Creuset which browned the meat which is not desirable.

[chefzadi]

You don't need a tagine "pot". A tagine can be cooked in the bottom of a couscousier or even in a stainless steel pot on the stove. It depends on the type of tagine you are cooking. A dutch oven is fine. Tagine has become a catch all phrase for a vast range of North African dishes. By the way, in Algeria the word "tagine" is hardly ever used to describe a dish.

Tagine, the cooking vessel, is a nice addition to have though. If you can obtain, by all means I recommend that you get it. If you don't have one, the quality of your food wouldn't be adversely affected by this.

[jscarbor]

I actually recvd a tagine for my anniversary earlier this month and was wondering what to cook in it. Anyone have a good north african dish for me?

[Wolfert]

.Go for a shallow heavy bottomed pan and you'll be fine. If you love making Moroccan tagines then you should consider buying one.
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Edited by Wolfert, 23 February 2005 - 09:21 PM.

[touaregsand]

The couscous thread is one to keep an eye on for this.

[Wolfert]

To paraphrase President Clinton--- it depends on what the meaning of the word tagine 'is' -
The major characteristic of a Moroccan meat tagine is a highly seasoned (not hot and spicy) sauce, gently reduced to a silken texture through long, slow, steady cooking.
It also means a shallow round pan with a conical top.

Your le creuset will work, but a deep straight-sided large skillet with a tight fitting cover and a sheet of parchment paper placed directly on the food will give you better results.

Most Moroccan tagines have fruits or vegetables added in abundance. In fact, they take over the tagine of meat, chicken or fish and dominate. They aren't usually the "garnish" as in some other cuisines of the Mediterranean, they give the name to the tagine. This is especially true with lamb which fades into the background and enriches the sauce. Chicken and fish play a more prominent role.

Most meat or lamb tagines involve slow simmering of less-expensive cuts. If you see a recipe for leg of lamb to be used in a tagine I would think twice before preparing it. That is if you want to make a Moroccan tagine.

If the meat is to be browned nine times out of ten it will take place at the end of the cooking not the beginning . I could go on, but you need to tell us what kind of tagine you would like to make.


In Algeria, as Chef Zadi can explain much better than I ever could, tagines don't mean the same thing.

And in Tunisia, a tagine is an eggy-enriched meat dish usually baked with a vegetable of some sort. Well, it is more complicated but another time we can talk about Tunisian cooking.
So, welcome to the galaxy of tagines!.Now that is a title of a cookbook that hasn't been written-- as yet! hmmmmm

Edited by Wolfert, 24 February 2005 - 07:48 AM.

[Berlinsbreads]

Thanks, all. Since I am a kitchen gadget/cookware guru and love all things to cook with I will add a Tagine to my "wish list" to get at some point. Is the Le Creuset one a good one? I know the dome portion is enameled which seems like it wouldn't acquire the seasoning effect that a previous post mentioned with using clay. I don't know about the base of it. Where do you find good Tagine shaped cooking vessels?

[slbunge]

Where do you find good Tagine shaped cooking vessels?

At Tagines.com.

[Wolfert]

I agree. www.tagines.com is the best place I know for Moroccan tagines.

Are you cooking on electricity or gas?
If cooking on electric burners, you will want to purchase the Riffian or the Tangier style with the flat bottom. Be sure to use a heat diffuser.

If cooking over gas, you will want to buy the ourika, marrakech or souss style which is bowl shaped.

Personally, I like the unglazed tagines best. When you decide and purchase one, post which you have chosen and I will post instructions on how to cure and 'age' it so your tagine will produce flavorful stews.
There are some 'don'ts' you need to know: don't put a clay tagine on high heat; don't move a hot tagine onto something cold; don't add cold liquid to a hot tagine; and don't put the cover in the oven. (The cover is a cooling mechanism.) If you want to broil the meat at the end for a luxurious finish do it about 9 inches from the heat source, and don't wash unglazed tagines with soap. Use baking soda and water instead. It works fine.

Keep your unglazed tagines healthy by rubbing them all over with olive oil about once or twice a year.

Here is a picture of a tagine I purchased recently from Sami at www.tagines.com
It is in the Marrakech style.

Edited by Wolfert, 24 February 2005 - 12:23 PM.

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks, Paula. I ordered an unglazed Rifi tagine from the site. So do tell, how do I cure and age it?

[Berlinsbreads]

Thank you for that site---it's wonderful! I really like the Rifi tagine. Would it work on an electric stove as that is what I have?

[Wolfert]

>
>Soak top and bottom of tagine in water to cover for 3 or 4 hours
>Drain and dry.
>Rub top and bottom all over with olive oil
>Rub wood ash (from the fireplace) all over. Hint: wear rubber
gloves
>Bake both parts for 8 hours ina 250 F oven
>let it cool down then wipe away excess dirt..

>Repeat rubbing with olive oil and ash and baking

let dry overnight in an airy place then wash, dry and rub with oil. let relax and add more oil. It loves oil.

Whenever you wash your tagine, wash it with baking soda and water and a plastic scrub brush. Avoid soap Wipe dry and rub with a little oil.

if you have problems arriving at this color after using it a few times, write for help

oh, you can oil the parts of the tagine, place the oven rack far from the broiler and grill certains parts of the tagine here and there for a nice burnished color.

Now what have you done? You've given 'age' to your new tagine. Everyone will think you inherited it from someone's grandmother.



Follow rules above thread for handling hot tagines in a cold environment and other caveats.

Edited by Wolfert, 24 February 2005 - 10:57 PM.

[rancho_gordo]

OK- I'm taking the plunge. My two tagines arrive tomorrow. Don't look at me that way! Yes, in fact, I do need two!

So I assume this curing process will take a day but what should be the first thing I make? I have Paula's Couscous and other good food. Are there recipes that can easily be adapted back to the tagine?

I don't leave the Americas often so I do need some culinary advice!

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks for the curing and aging procedure, Paula. I am putting the Rifian tagine in to soak. Does it make any difference what kind of Olive Oil I use on it after the soak? Will it make a difference in the flavor of the food if I use a decent EVOO, or will something inexpensive make no difference to the food cooked in it?

[Wolfert]

Moroccan clay and Columbian clay seem to love olive oil! I use what I have and that is evoo. I don't think it matters.

You are mixing it with fireplace ash to color it? You'll be baking it and then washing it off afterwards


AFTERCARE:

I oil my la chamba and unglazed tagines every once in awhile and just let them dry out on a table overnight. The resulting sheen is wonderful.

To avoid closing up the pores, I don't do the undersides.



rh

[Richard Kilgore]

Moroccan clay and Columbian clay seem to love olive oil! I use what I have and that is evoo. I don't think it matters.

You are mixing it with fireplace ash to color it? You'll be baking it and then washing it off afterwards


AFTERCARE:

I oil my la chamba and unglazed tagines every once in awhile and just let them dry out on a table overnight. The resulting sheen is wonderful.

To avoid closing up the pores, I don't do the undersides.



rh

Yes, I am going to rub it with ash, but not from the fire place -- it's 80 degrees here. I'll burn some wood outside.

Please clarify --- are you saying not to oil the underside of the lid and the bottom of the base for both the tagines and the chamba?

[Wolfert]

no,I'm sorry. You are curing the pot so put the ash and oil over everything.

Later on to shine it up...just as you would silver, you rub the tagine with oil but not the undersides. That's all.

Moroccan clay and Columbian clay seem to love olive oil! I use what I have and that is evoo. I don't think it matters.

You are mixing it with fireplace ash to color it? You'll be baking it and then washing it off afterwards


AFTERCARE:

I oil my la chamba and unglazed tagines every once in awhile and just let them dry out on a table overnight. The resulting sheen is wonderful.

To avoid closing up the pores, I don't do the undersides.



rh

Yes, I am going to rub it with ash, but not from the fire place -- it's 80 degrees here. I'll burn some wood outside.

Please clarify --- are you saying not to oil the underside of the lid and the bottom of the base for both the tagines and the chamba?

[sapient]

I received a tagine for Christmas. It's the glazed terra cotta from Sur La Table. It said to soak it for 12 hours before its first use. I was planning on oiling the inside but was wondering if there was anything else I should do? Thanks!

Here's the one I got
http://www.surlatabl...asc=true&page=1