Meatball Tagine with Herbs and Lemon

Time

Prep 30 min · Cook 50 min · 80 min total

Difficulty

hard

1. 1

   Prepare the meatballs: put the onion and parsley in a food processor and process until finely chopped.

2. 2

   Tear the bread into pieces, add to the onion, along with the egg, and process briefly. Add the meat, cumin, paprika, pepper and 1 teaspoons salt and process to a thick paste, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally.

3. 3

   Alternative preparation: grate the onion, chop the parsley, crumb the bread, and add to the meat in a bowl with the remaining ingredients. Knead until the mixture is paste like in consistency.

4. 4

   With moistened hands, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on a tray. Cover and refrigerate until required.

5. 5

   Prepare the sauce: heat the butter or oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook over low heat until softened and golden.

6. 6

   Add the paprika, turmeric, cumin and chili or cayenne pepper, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.

   1 min
7. 7

   Add the chicken stock and cilantro and bring to a boil. Add the meatballs to the pan, shaking so that they settle into the sauce. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

   45 min
8. 8

   Add most of the parsley and the lemon juice and season, if necessary. Return to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

   2 min
9. 9

   If using preserved lemon, add now. Transfer to a tagine or bowl, and sprinkle with remaining parsley.

10. 10

    Note 1: author suggests serving with crusty bread.

Notes and swaps

Allergens

Not assessed yet. Check each ingredient if you have an allergy.