Veal Tagine with Peas and Artichokes

At the moment I propose a lot of Moroccan dishes! But it’s of course because I just came back from Rabat where I cooked with my dear friend Touria. So every time I go, I come back with my suitcase full of recipes. And each time it is such a delight, that I can’t stop from sharing them here. So today a tagine. There are as many tagines as there are cooks in Morocco. In France, we are often used to eating the same tagines. While a tagine can refer to a whole range of incredible recipes. This veal tagine is divine: a melting meat, vegetables, multiple and unexpected flavors and a little lemon confit to underline it all! To be tried urgently…!

For this recipe, I used fresh vegetables the first time. But this recipe is perfectly feasible with frozen vegetables. I can’t recommend Picard’s enough: the artichoke bottoms from Brittany, in a cardboard box, are perfect and the “garden peas” are large peas that are almost identical to the fresh ones that you shell yourself. I made this tagine twice, once with fresh vegetables in Morocco and at home with vegetables from Picard to see the difference. It’s delicious in both cases!

Recipe for veal tagine with peas and artichokes:

-1kg of veal (with a little bone)
-6 tablespoons of oil
-2 onions
-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
-1 teaspoon ginger powder
-1 teaspoon of salt
-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
-1 pinch of saffron dye (optional or two or three pistils of real saffron)
-500g of shelled peas
-6 artichoke bottoms
-3 tablespoons of olive oil
-1 small bunch of coriander
-1 small bunch of flat parsley
-1 candied lemon (with salt)

Put the cut meat (just ask the butcher to cut it into pieces, especially for the bones) in a casserole dish with the oil (not olive oil).

Add finely chopped onion, salt, black pepper, turmeric, ginger powder and saffron coloring.

Simmer over high heat for 20 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add a small bunch of coriander and flat parsley tied together.

After 20 minutes, add enough water to almost cover the meat.

Close the pressure cooker and pressurize. When the steam comes out, lower the heat and cook for 35-40 minutes.

If of course you don’t have a pressure cooker, just put a lid on and let it cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or more. The meat should look cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare the artichokes (if fresh).

Cut off the stem, then remove the leaves with a knife, cutting flush with the bottom. Then remove the “hay”. Lemon should be rubbed on the hands and the artichoke base immediately to avoid blackening.