This easy recipe for Lamb or Beef Tagine with Apricots uses classic Moroccan seasoning of saffron, cinnamon, ginger and pepper, and explains how to prepare the dish in a pressure cooker, conventional pot or clay or ceramic tagine. Although the recipe calls for lamb or beef, goat meat is more popular in some regions of Morocco.

The dried apricots used in this recipe are just one of a number of fruits which can be added to Moroccan tagines, either alone or in combination. Raisins, dates, prunes, pears, and quinces are examples of some others. These fruit tagines typically call for more meat than budget-stretching meat and vegetable tagines, and for that reason many families reserve making them for special meals or when entertaining.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

A variety of dates are native to Morocco and North Africa, including the highly regarded Medjool dates. It's no surprise, then, that this naturally sweet, nutritious fruit has made its way into Moroccan tagines.

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Dates is an easy, savory main dish to put together for a family dinner or when entertaining. Prepared in a manner very similar to that of the more famous Meat and Prunes Tagine, the tagine with dates is a sweet and spicy mix of meat, fruit, cinnamon, saffron, ginger and pepper. Because the dates are sweeter than the prunes, I like to make the seasoning a bit spicier with the additions of white pepper and a little Ras el Hanout.

Toasted unhulled sesame seeds and fried almonds are traditional garnishes and add nutty, crunchy contrast. I like to use both the sesame seeds and the almonds, but some Moroccans consider it more proper to use one or the other as a garnish, but not both on the same dish.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Cardoons is one of my favorite Moroccan dishes, and one of the seasonal recipes I most look forward to making. Preserved lemon and olives combine perfectly with Moroccan spices to yield a tangy, lightly spicy sauce that complements the cardoons.

Cleaning the cardoons, which look like giant stalks of celery, will seem like a nuisance if you've never done it before. They fresh stalks have to be lightly pared, then quickly rubbed with lemon juice to prevent browning. Once prepped, the cleaned cardoons will keep well for several days.

Because cardoons take so long to cook, I always use a pressure cooker when preparing Tagine with Cardoons. Pressure cookers are also useful for making other tagines when you don't have time for traditional slow-cooking, and I use them to make Harira as well.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih

I've been preparing more Moroccan sweet dishes than I usually do, and this very easy Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad is one of them. The sweet potatoes are cooked with honey, cinnamon, pepper and a bit of saffron until they're sitting in a thick, syrupy sauce. Raisins can be added for extra sweetness and texture.

Sweet potatoes are also outstanding in Moroccan Couscous with Seven Vegetables. Use them in place of the pumpkin or simply add them to the list of ingredients. If you haven't cooked sweet potatoes before, be aware that they turn tender very quickly so test frequently. To avoid overcooking them and pumpkin when making couscous, cook them early on and then remove them from the sauce until serving time. The sweet potatoes and pumpkin can then be returned to the pot to heat through.

Photo © Christine Benlafquih