2 minute read

Beef Tagine

Tagine of Beef

with Honey, Prunes and Sesame Seeds

RECIPE WAYNE GOOD | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON

I love tagine cooking—it’s a very simple process, with few ingredients but maximum flavour. In Morocco it is often considered a street food as street vendors have tagines cooking over hot charcoal burners. I always serve mine with simply prepared couscous mixed with plenty of lemon and chopped parsley. It’s also good served with warmed flat bread to mop up all the sauce.

1kg diced skirt steak 1/3 cup olive oil 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 medium onion, diced 1/8 tsp saffron threads (available from Vetro or La Cave) ¾ cup water 1½ cups prunes, soaked in warm water 2/3 cup honey salt to taste 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dissolve the saffron threads in the water.

In a tagine or cast iron casserole, combine the beef, oil and spices. Add the chopped onion, saffron, and water and mix well.

Place onto your hob and set to medium. Simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hours.

When the meat is a cooked, remove it from the juices with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Skim off any unwanted fat from the liquid. Place the sauce back onto the heat and return to a simmer. Drain the water off the prunes and add the prunes to the sauce, gently mashing with a fork until well combined. Finally, add the honey and simmer the sauce until thick. Check the seasoning and add salt to taste if required. Return the meat to the sauce, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with couscous or bread.

Cook with Wayne

Join Wayne for a wonderful morning of cooking and inspiration. Classes are $75pp, which includes a welcome tea/coffee, cooking demo, lunch with liquid refreshment and your recipes to take home. Lunch is served in our antique barn with plenty of time to peruse in the barn.

Middle Eastern Cooking

Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 June

My Mother’s Recipes – A 65 Year History of Cooking

Saturday 26 June To book, email wayne@arkanda.co.nz or ph 021898909

Wayne Good is a chef, interior designer and travel guide. Renowned for his hospitality, Wayne’s cooking classes and tours of France are hot tickets! Discover more at www.arkanda.co.nz

Butcher's Tip

Skirt steak is a coarse-grained steak with a rich flavour and generally sourced from the flank area. Great if seared quickly or, as in Wayne’s tagine, low and slow. If the cold months have you hankering for slow cooks, braises and stews, my pick is oxtail! From the tail part of the beast, it is packed with collagen and marrow, creating a gorgeous rich flavour. It might even help with the wrinkles! Looking for more tips on the best cuts of meat? Come in store to Expleo and talk to one of our team.

Shawn Nicholas Expleo 51 Mahoe Street, Te Awamutu expleo.co.nz