Thursday, February 4, 2010

North African Eggplant & Chickpea Tagine-less Tagine, The Third and Final Installment of the Preserved Lemon Trilogy

Okay, so technically a "tagine" is a North African (usually Moroccan) dish that is cooked in a clay pot of the same name. I don't have one (yet), so I'm not sure if I can correctly call this a tagine.  Maybe I should just say "stew."  But that might give you the incorrect impression of  heaviness and heft. In fact, while this is far more stew than soup, the spices and layers of flavor combine to create an overall sensory effect of scented, perfumed lightness.  Perfect for winter, but absolutely appropriate for warm weather as well.

You see, I wanted to use my beloved preserved lemons in a more, for lack of a better word, normal way than I had to date. Don't get me wrong - I love the flavors in my Tunisian tuna tart and potato & harissa sandwich, but I thought it might be nice to let them do their thing in a more traditional way.  In this dish, they are less of a star than they are an indispensable supporting player. In fact, none of the ingredients here stand out and scream for attention. It's more of an ensemble production.

It's very important that you don't just dump all of your spices into the pot at once. Instead, add the ingredients in stages, so as to create layers of flavor. It makes a huge difference. 

Eggplant & Chick Pea Tagine-less Tagine

1 large onion, chopped
5-7 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
Blend of  1/2 tsp EACH ground coriander & ground cumin, plus a pinch of anise seed
1/4 tsp cinnamon, plus a pinch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large eggplant, peeled & chopped
2 cans chick peas, drained
a few saffron threads
2 bay leaves
2-3 heaping tbsp preserved lemon, chopped
5-6 canned plum tomatoes, chopped
large handful of currants
veggie broth
salt & pepper, to taste
Sprig of cilantro, for garnish

Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until translucent.  Add 1/2 the garlic,  1/2 heaping tsp of the coriander, cumin, & anise mixture, the cinnamon, the ginger, and the cayenne. Saute a few more minutes. Add the eggplant, a pinch of salt & pepper, saute for another minute. Add the chickpeas and 1 tbsp of the preserved lemon, just enough water or broth to cover, a pinch more cinnamon, 1 more tsp of the coriander/cumin mixture, saffron, bay leaves, tomatoes, the rest of the garlic, and half the currants. Simmer, uncovered, until the eggplant is tender and some of the liquid has evaporated. Add another tbsp of preserved lemon and the rest of the currants. Simmer a few minutes more.  Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings accordingly - you'll definitely need some salt & pepper, and perhaps more lemon, depending on your taste. To most dishes, I'd add more cayenne, but here you want to use a light hand so it doesn't overpower the delicacy of the other spices.  Simmer on low, stirring occasionally,  for another 10 minutes or so - you want anything you added at the end to incorporate into the stew.

I served mine with wheat berries and a garnish of cilantro. It's incredibly satisfying,  vegan, and utterly guilt-free!






29 comments:

  1. Yummy! This looks so good. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. You go with your vegan dish, sister! It looks amazing, plus two of my fave things are in this dish: saffron and currants: Yum! Nicely presented with the wheat berries as well. Okay, welcome to Vegan Thyme's blog roll--why I am tardy doing this is beyond me? I've always typed your blog address in--silly me! My "blog" maintenance is a little slow is all. But great recipe!

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  3. My kind of dish, definitely middle eastern, vegetarian and lots of flavors due to spices. Beautiful!

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  4. I have been following along. Haven't worked with preserved lemons yet but am looking forward to it. North African Cuisine is probably the one I know least about.

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  5. I keep look at the tagines in the cooking store, I love the shape! I really, really, really want one, but can't jusify it....until now....? Thanks for sharing, this looks amazing and your pictures are incredible, makes me want to get a spoon and dive it, would that damage my screen?

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  6. Ooo this looks delicious AND it's good for you! Fantastic!!!

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  7. Very nice recipe, and you can definitely call it a tagine. I have one, and have started doing my cooking in a skillet instead of the tagine, because they simply don't hold enough. Plus, the clay ones (like mine) need a diffuser so they don't crack. If you haven't already done so, pick up a jar of ras el hanout spice, as well as some harissa. Both make a huge difference! Good post, thanks! Larry. (http://larry-lscooks.blogspot.com)

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  8. Wonderful N. African dish here, when I saw the cilantro garnish on the top, I knew it was going to be great!

    CCR
    =:~)

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  9. Love all those spices in there - AND the wheat berries you served along side it. ~Mary

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  10. I can only imagine how good this tastes... I'm daydreaming away as I type. I don't own a tagine so never even thought about cooking one without the kit. Now I now it's possible I'm so giving it a go! So what if it's a tagine-less tagine? I bet it's equally as flavourful! Yum!

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  11. This dish is so beautifully complex! so full of love and dedication. It looks amazing and I would so love to try it!

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  12. Looks simple, delicious and healthy. Thanks for sharing this beautiful recipe.

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  13. You had me at chick pea's love this sounds like something I could eat everyday!

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  14. so glad you talked about the layering of flavors - so many people don't get it ... great dish with interesting ingredients...

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  15. I love that it's vegan but so flavourful as well? People think that meatless = boring = bland. But you just showed otherwise. You're fantastic, Trix!

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  16. I love all the spices. I must try and make sure of my preserved lemons more often.

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  17. MMMM that looks very very good and healthy to boot!! you're a wonderful and creative cook Trix!!I must make it a point to try preserved lemons...ive heard how they transform a dish so much...u r tempting me. :))

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  18. Well, a fine end for a trilogy! ;-)

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  19. Another great recipe, Trix! Those lemons are really getting a workout.

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  20. This looks amazing, excellent flavors and I love that it is such a healthy dish!

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  21. Looks so good and love how you mention to add spices and herbs in stages. I am lucky enough that a freind travelling to Morocco brough a tagne back for me...just gorgeous and she paid something illy like 5 or 10 bucks.

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  22. this looks SO good and I am so excited that you used wheat berries. I bought them weeks ago and haven't used them. I have all of these ingredients so guess what I'm making! :)

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  23. You know I think any dish that is cooked slowly could qualify as a tagine. I like the flavors and spices in this one. I need to hurry and make some preserved lemons! I have been meaning to make them ever since I read Paula Wolfert's book on Morocco at least 20 years ago!

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  24. What a lovely light & yummy flavour! And looks pretty health meal too. Bravo!

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  25. I can almost taste this now. The brightness of the preserved lemons would be wonderful with the chicken and chickpeas.

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  26. I love just love Moroccan flavors and their spices. Preserved lemons just brightens and enlivens any kind of dish. And even carnivores would really love to have this.

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  27. Wonderful!!!! Love the addition of the currants, I must try this! :-)

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  28. This looks just gorgeous... and I'm alwasy looking for ways with preserved lemons. My dad makes a huge batch every year, and I get more than I know what to do with!

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