Charmoula meatball tajine with couscous, one of my favourite recipes. Sharing here because it is fabulous. Play with the spices, depending on how hot you like your food.
Charmoula marinade (makes 1 large cup)
1/2 tbsp each red chilli flakes and sweet paprika
1/2 tsp each ground cumin and chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp each coriander leaf and flat-leaf parsley, chopped
good pinch of saffron threads
1 onion, chopped fairly finely
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 preserved lemon, sliced thinly - preserved lemon is proof that the universe loves us!
juice of 1/4 lemon
1/4 cup good virgin olive oil
Mix it all together and leave at least 30 min before using.
Meatball tajine (serves 4)
For the sauce
2 tbsp good virgin olive oil
1 cup of charmoula marinade
2x 400 g tins of good plum tomatoes
250 g frozen peas, thawed
For the meatballs
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp each ground cumin, sweet paprika, red chilli flakes
1 tbsp each coriander leaf and flat-leaf parsely, finely chopped
1 egg
1 kg good beef mince
salt and pepper
Optional: 1 egg for poaching per person eating at that meal.
Sauce: heat the oil and gently fry the marinade for ~5 min until softened and even more fabulously fragrant; add the tomatoes and simmer gently 20-30 min.
Meatballs: meanwhile, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until soft, then tip in everything else except the poaching eggs, mix it all together; make small meatballs and lay them in a single layer in a shallow dish and bake for 20 min in a moderate oven, ~375 degF.
Make up: stir peas into sauce and simmer 5 min; stir meatballs into sauce and simmer 5 min; make little saucy gaps amongst the meatballs and drop the eggs in to poach - you may need to flip the eggs over to cook the tops, as the thick sauce might not reach them.
