Moroccan Tagine and Lemon Cordial

Hospitality, n. The virtue which induces us to feed and lodge certain persons who are not in need of food and lodging. ~Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary, 1911

We recently enjoyed a visit from by brother and sister-in-law. They left us with many things including having had a really inspiring time together as well as a lovely recipe which we tried very soon after their departure. It is absolutely delicious!

Moroccan Tagine

You can use any meat for this - chicken, lamb and/or lamb sausage.

• Brown meat. Add spices but watch for burning (alternatively add spices later).
• Soften onion and garlic.
• Add harissa if you like (for heat) and about 2 tablesoons of spices. I use Marrakesh Magic from Screaming Seeds, a beautiful fresh moroccan spice blend. Cook out rawness.
• Add veges including carrot, zucchini, potato, mushroom, beans etc.
• Add chopped dried apricots (or paw paw if they're in your cupboard) as well as some fresh apple if it takes your fancy.
• Add tomatoes or passata and stock perhaps if needed.
• Stir through some preserved lemons (or use some lemon zest). Also stir in some honey.
• Stir through chick peas, then parsley and mint fresh from your garden. Add more spices if needed and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Serve with kamut couscous, rice and natural yoghurt.

This is absolutely delicious and another wonderful way to make use of your delicious preserved lemons.

As we did not yet have any preserved lemons ready to use I decided to add some grated lemon zest from numerous lemons. I then juiced the lemons to make some fabulous lemon cordial.

Lemon Cordial

Make a sugar syrup with 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar dissovled over low heat. Next time I might try substituting some of the sugar for honey for something different and little healthier.

Mix this syrup with fresh lemon juice. I used 400mL syrup with 6-700mL lemon juice.

Add about 1cm of cordial to your glass with some fresh baby mint leaves, then fill with water.

Enjoy!