I can’t wait until hump day this week. Not only is the weekend just around the corner, but I get to feast away at a Moroccan-themed potluck party! Since it’s with a few other foodie friends, I feel like I need to pull out the big guns and bring something truly authentic to the table. And that means dusting off my tagine from the top shelf of my kitchen cupboard!
A tagine (or tajine) is the name for both a dish and cooking vessel found in Morocco and other North African countries. The cooking vessel is made of two parts – a round shallow dish (sort of like a pie pan on steroids) that is topped by a conical shaped lid. The conical lid isn’t just for looks; it helps trap moisture, which then drips back down onto the food cooking in the shallow part below. As a result, tagines (I’m referring to the food now) are incredibly tender and juicy.
Traditionally, tagines are made of ceramic but you can find them in cast iron and stainless steel as well. Ceramic or terra cotta tagines are less expensive (around $25 to $30), but they break easily so take care. More durable tagines made of other materials can run over $200.
If you don’t want to spend money on a tagine, you can substitute a dutch oven in most recipes – but I promise you won’t get the same “oohs” and “ahhs” as you would with the real thing!
{ 3 comments }
You have a tagine! So amazing! Can’t wait to use it at the feast on Wed!
hmmm I have never heard of a tagine!
ps i loveee potlucks. you will def make a splash with that huge thing!!
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