L U N A T A L K with Eva Moon

Spice It Up

June 21, 2009 on 8:46 am | | In Backstage Pass, Food, General Musing

The Lunatics have made a very pleasant habit of sharing a meal after band practice. I hesitate to use the word “glue” in any context containing food, but the practice does help to bind us as a group. Gah! Another poor word choice!

Last night was my turn to cook again.

If you’ve read any of my other recipes, you know I don’t really do “recipes” - I have an allergy to measuring devices. I’ll do my best to approximate, but be warned: any mention of an actual amount is purely imaginary.

Eva’s Crockpot Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Cous Cous

Cut some lamb into chunks. I’m not sure how much lamb it was. We had these little baggies of lamb in the freezer that are just enough for a light dinner for two. I used four of them and whaddaya know, it turned out to be enough for eight. Brown the lamb, drain and dump in the crock pot. If you don’t have a crock pot, there’s no earthy reason you couldn’t do it in a pot on the stove or a casserole in the oven.

Slice two onions and chop as much garlic as you like and toss it in the pan you used to brown the lamb. saute until you see salivating neighbors peering in your windows, and then dumb it on top of the lamb. Toss in a drained can of chickpeas and an undrained can of diced tomatoes too.

Sprinkle with dried apricots and pitted dates. I think I used about a dozen of each but who knows? Does it matter?

Spice it up: In a bowl mix salt, paprika and cumin (a tablespoonish amount of each), cinnamon and turmeric (a teaspoonish amount), cayenne and saffron (less), a couple of tablespoons of fresh minced ginger and the zest of a lemon. Don’t stint on the spices. Even the saffron. Life is short and you’re feeding eight people with this. Add broth of some sort (about two cupsish - I used chicken), stir it up and pour over the stuff in the crock pot.

Cover and let it go until you can’t wait one more minute. I think it was about five hours here, but it doesn’t matter too much.

To serve, cook up a box of cous cous and mound it in a big bowl or platter. Use a slotted spoon to pile the tagine on top. Pour the liquid into a bowl to serve on the side. Garnish the platter with kalamata olives, chopped parsley and/or cilantro and slivered almonds.

Put it on the table and stand back.

I served it with Moroccan green bean salad (steamed green beans, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, scallions, minced bell pepper, salt and cayenne, chilled). Dessert was a combo of mint and ginger sorbet.

Food is powerful magic.

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