Beef Tagine with Prunes

Ingredients

What you’ll need

• 2 1/2 lb/1.1 kg beef chuck, cut into 2-inch/5-cm pieces
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Pinch saffron
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 1/2 cups/600 ml water
• 12 oz/340 g pitted prunes
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water, optional
• 1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds or fried blanched almonds

Method

How it comes together

1. 1

   Season beef with salt, ginger, turmeric, pepper, and saffron. Brown in oil in batches. Add onions, garlic, cinnamon sticks, and water.

2. 2

   Cover and simmer very gently until tender, 1 3/4-2 hours, adding small amounts of water as needed.

3. 3

   In a separate pan, cover prunes with some of the beef broth. Add honey and ground cinnamon; simmer until plump and syrupy, 10-15 minutes. Add orange blossom water off heat.

4. 4

   Reduce the beef sauce until it coats the meat. Arrange prunes over the beef and garnish with sesame or almonds.