cooking in tagine

[helenas]

Does anybody own one and use it frequently, or

it's a waste of money?

[franklanguage]

What is a tagine? Do you have a link?

[helenas]

Le Creuset, is one of the manufacturers:

http://www.lecreuset.com/lecreu_us/recipe___.htm

[A Balic]

I bought a very large terra cotta Tagine in Fez and after many adventures got it back to Edinburgh intact. In Morocco, they used them by placing them directly on top of a heat source.  This means that the steam generated, condenses at the top of the cone and dribbles back down into them stew.  This method of cooking means you can stew/braise in very little liquid at a low temperature and get a very concentrated flavour.

Unfortunately, my heat source is a little to intense for terra cotta, even at its minimum setting and I have not got around to buying a heat diffusor yet. So I have used in the oven only so far, using more liquid. Which defeats the purpose of the Tagine in the first place. The Le Creuset model is enameled cast iron, so it would not have the problems that the terra cotta versions have.  I am still glad I have the Tagine though, as it looks great coming to the table.

[Phil Laurie]

I do not own a Tagine,I am  waiting for Ms Right Tagine, it is perfectly possible to turn out excellent Tagines without one. Just as it is possible to make Couscous with an improvised Couscousier.

Get to it !

Phil

[Guest dvegadvol]

I have the Le Creuset tagine and cook in fairly often (2x / month).  It's certainly a good piece of equipment, but not irreplaceable, imho.

It does look great on the table and the range - it's not easy to store, kinda oversize and chunky. so it sits out most of the time.

[helenas]

Unfortunately, my heat source is a little to intense for terra cotta, even at its minimum setting and I have not got around to buying a heat diffusor yet. So I have used in the oven only so far, using more liquid. Which defeats the purpose of the Tagine in the first place.

Adam, have you gotten your diffusor yet?

Since yesterday, i'm a proud owner of cooking tagine, so i'm bringing this thread back into life.

[bilrus]

Helenas:

It seems you are definitely not one to rush into something.

So, what type did you buy and have you used it yet?

[fifi]

Hey... Some decisions can't be rushed.

I have been curious about these as well. They sure look romantic. Being a Le Creuset fan I have been tempted more than once. I would like to hear more about how they cook differently than other methods. I like braising for a lot of things so that is a fit.

[Jinmyo]

The way that the tagine folds back the steam and condensation as it hits the cool air at the opening at the top is similar in some ways to pressure cooking.

Except that it's not a matter of "pressure" and so one doesn't wind up with the gnarly and manky quality of disassembled proteins of pressure cooking.

Instead, there's a concentration of flavours.

[fifi]

Sounds good so far. Now I am wondering how the Le Creuset enameled cast iron differs in performance from the traditional ceramic models.

[Jinmyo]

That I do not know.

[Suvir Saran]

Like Adam, I have the real Moroccan tagine. It is wonderful and most beautiful. I have also cooked tagines without one, when cooking away from my own kitchen.

In a couple of days, I should have my Le Creuset tagine in the kitchen... will certainly do a taste test and see what I think.

I have never used a couscousier to make cous cous... And no one I saw cooking in Morocco used one either. But tagines were found EVERYWHERE.

Helena, have you cooked using it yet? What do you think?

I cannot wait to have UPS deliver the package tomorrow morning. I believe I should have it no later than Friday. But most probably tomorrow. Looking forward to sharing Le Creuset Tagine experiences here.

[Steve Martin]

I'd be interesting in knowing where the hole is in the Le Creuset model. Some tagines have little holes on the side, near the top. I understand only the base is cast iron, the top is glazed earthenware.

I have read that unglazed would take up the spice flavours and provide a continuity in your tagine cooking. This is an appealing idea on one level.

I have heard chefs talking about long cooking in quite tall pans so that the evaporation hits the top and drips back into the food. This constant cycle allows the food to be quite dry, but never dry out. I think it causes optimum conditions for a set of Maillard reactions.

The tagine would appear to be the ideal form for this function. They will not work so well in an oven, because the top section should remain cool for condensing.

[Adam Balic]

Unfortunately, my heat source is a little to intense for terra cotta, even at its minimum setting and I have not got around to buying a heat diffusor yet. So I have used in the oven only so far, using more liquid. Which defeats the purpose of the Tagine in the first place.

Adam, have you gotten your diffusor yet?

Since yesterday, i'm a proud owner of cooking tagine, so i'm bringing this thread back into life.

Yes, and it works very well. Much better then if used in the oven (as I guessed in my original post) or if the tagine is cooked in another vessel. Meat ends up tender, but not dry and isn't swimming in liquid. A very interesting cooking vessel. It is rather good for cooking lamb shanks and these look very dramatic when you lift off the lid.

[Suvir Saran]

Adam,

I need to send you some Chutney. Can you PM me your address please? This summer, from the first batch, two bottles are yours. I owe you a second for having made you wait so long.

Adam, I have never used a diffuser on my Moroccan tagine. Should I be using one? I have cooked with it plenty, and never worried about it. The person I bought it from, had told me to soak it in water overnight, and then the next morning to bring the water to simmer in the tagine over the lowest possible flame on the stove. I did just that, and it has worked for me ever since. Certainly my home gas range is no powerful range to boast about. That could make all the difference. What are your thoughts?? I have had the tagine for a little over 3 years. So not all that experienced as you may be.

[Steve Martin]

I'd be interesting in knowing where the hole is in the Le Creuset model.

This is a question, by the way.

[Adam Balic]

Suvir - I use the diffuser out of fear. The vessel has been seasoned exactly as you say (as is all the earthernware I use) and most likely doesn't need the difusser. I bought the Tagine in Fez while backpacking and managed to bring it back intact, which was quite something considering the adventures it had been through with me: Bribing various officials, sleeping in a squalid drug den and avoiding several monkeys that were thrown at me in Marekesh, sick tummy etc.

So I am just afraid it will crack, which isn't logical, but there you go. I shall PM you RE: your king offer.

Steve: I believe that there is a small hole, yes.

[Steve Martin]

Suvir - I use the diffuser out of fear. The vessel has been seasoned exactly as you say (as is all the earthernware I use) and most likely doesn't need the difusser. I bought the Tagine in Fez while backpacking and managed to bring it back intact, which was quite something considering the adventures it had been through with me: Bribing various officials, sleeping in a squalid drug den and avoiding several monkeys that were thrown at me in Marekesh, sick tummy etc.

So I am just afraid it will crack, which isn't logical, but there you go.   I shall PM you RE: your king offer.

Steve: I believe that there is a small hole, yes.

Thanks Adam, but I would like to know if the hole is in the very apex or the side.

A good gas burner can give a quite diffuse heat, because of the small layer of unburnt gas, but I would always use the diffuser.

[Adam Balic]

Side I think.

[helenas]

The way that the tagine folds back the steam and condensation as it hits the cool air at the opening at the top is similar in some ways to pressure cooking.

Except that it's not a matter of "pressure" and so one doesn't wind up with the gnarly and manky quality of disassembled proteins of pressure cooking.

Instead, there's a concentration of flavours.

So it's somewhat similar to the effect produced by the Staub line of cast iron( previously discussed here: the Staub link is stale though, use this one instead)

[helenas]

Helena, have you cooked using it yet?  What do you think?

No : it looks like my tagine is not for stovetop use. So i'm thinking about Le Creuset.

Speaking of Le Creuset, thanks for pointing to Karahi: looks great! And also their Tawa

[Adam Balic]

Steve - I checked the Le Creuset Tagine on the week-end - no hole.

[Steve Martin]

Steve - I checked the Le Creuset Tagine on the week-end - no hole.

Thanks very much, Adam.

Now I wonder if this is a bad thing. It would seem less than authentic.

[Adam Balic]

Well, at the very least it is a 'Authentic Westernized' version of a tagine. I think that it should work fine, my only quibble is that it is rather small. You wouldn't be able to do many lamb shanks for instance.