Aromatic Beef and Quince Tagine with Pomegranate

Serves	6
Prep time	45 minutes
Cook time	8 hours
Total time	8 hours, 45 minutes
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish
Misc	Gourmet, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Halloween
Region	Moroccan
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

A fragrant beef and quince tagine with chickpeas and pomegranate - this tagine is seasoned with aromatic ras-el-hanout and cumin; serve with fluffy couscous and flat breads. This could also be called an Elizabethan Stew, minus the tomatoes and chickpeas - quince (and other fruits) as well as aromatic spices were often used in savoury dishes during the era. This tagine would make an excellent meal for New Year's Eve or Bonfire Night, as well as for other winter festivals.

Ingredients

4 quinces, peeled and cut into quarters or thick slices
200g pearl onions, peeled
1 stick celery, trimmed, cleaned and cut into dice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
800g beef brisket (cut into large chunks)
Knorr Rich Beef Stock Pot
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 x 800g tin of chickpeas
2 teaspoons ras-el-hanout spice mixture
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons fruit chutney
parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
seeds from 1 pomegranate

Note

An aromatic beef and quince tagine with chickpeas and pomegranate - this tagine is seasoned with aromatic ras-el-hanout and cumin; serve with fluffy couscous and flat breads. This could also be called an Elizabethan Stew, minus the tomatoes and chickpeas - quince (and other fruits) as well as aromatic spices were often used in savoury dishes during the era. This tagine would make an excellent meal for New Year's Eve or Bonfire Night, as well as for other winter festivals.

Directions

Step 1	Heat the oil in a large heavy based frying pan and add the quince slices and caramelise them for about 4 to 5 minutes, add some more oil if needed then add the onions, celery and garlic, cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes; drain the fruit and vegetables, and put them all into a slow cooker (or a cast iron casserole dish if cooking conventionally. Also at this stage pre-heat oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2).
Step 2	Add more oil to the pan and add the beef, sealing the meat on all sides until it is dark golden brown. Do it in batches in a very hot heavy-bottomed pan with a little oil added for each batch, then transfer each batch to a colander to drain off any excess fat. Put the beef in to the slow cooker or the cast iron casserole dish once it is all cooked and drained.
Step 3	Dissolve one Knorr Beef Stock Pot into 500ml of water, or slightly less if cooking in a slow cooker, I used 250mls of water. Add the stock to the meat and vegetables, and then add the tinned tomatoes and chick peas; stir well and then add the spices, chutney and parsley. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4	Cook the beef tagine on high for 4 hours before turning it down to low and cooking for a further 4 hours - or cook on auto for 6 to 8 hours, if your slow cooker has this facility. For conventional cooking - pop the tagine in to a pre-heated oven and cook for approximately three and three-quarter hours, or until meat is tender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Step 5	Serve immediately with couscous and with the pomegranate seeds sprinkled over the top of the tagine. Serve harissa and flat breads on the side.