Braised Beef Tongue with Chickpeas, Saffron & Raisins

A centerpiece dish from The Family Meal with Beast & Cleaver. Slow-braised until yielding and deeply spiced, this is Moroccan comfort cooking at its most honest — rich, aromatic, and built for the table.

Ingredients

• 1 whole beef tongue

• 1 cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight) or canned cooked chickpeas

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 pinch saffron

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tbsp ground turmeric

• 1 tsp Villa Jerada Ras el Hanout

• 1 tsp white pepper, ground

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 fresh parsley and cilantro, tied together as a bouquet

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 1 pinch salt

Method

1. Soak the raisins: Place 1/2 cup raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside to plump while you prepare everything else. This softens them and draws out their sweetness into the braise later.

2. Blanch the tongue: Place 1 whole beef tongue in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and blanch for 15 minutes . Drain, rinse under cold water, and peel away the outer skin while the tongue is still warm — it comes away more easily at this stage. Once peeled, slice into medallions roughly 1.5cm thick.

3. Bloom the saffron: Crumble 1 pinch saffron into a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of warm water and let it steep for at least 10 minutes . This draws out the color and deepens the flavor throughout the braise.

4. Build the base: Heat 1.2 cups extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 1 large onion, finely diced and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned — about 8 to 9 minutes . Add 2 garlic cloves, minced and cook for another minute until fragrant.

5. Add the meat and spices: Add the tongue medallions to the pot and turn them in the oil for about 5 minutes to coat well. Add 1 tablespoons ground ginger, 1 tbsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp Villa Jerada Ras el Hanout, 1 tsp white pepper, ground, and the bloomed saffron with its soaking water. Add 1 cinnamon stick and the herb bouquet 1 fresh parsley and cilantro, tied together as a bouquet. Season generously with 1 pinch salt. Stir everything together and cover with water by about 2cm.

6. Braise low and slow: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 2.5-3 hours, turning the meat occasionally, until the tongue is deeply tender and the broth has developed into a rich, spiced sauce. Do not rush this — the long, slow braise is what transforms the tongue from tough to yielding.

7. Add chickpeas and raisins: When the tongue is nearly tender, drain the 1/2 cup raisins and add to the pot along with 1 cups dried chickpeas (soaked overnight) or canned cooked chickpeas. If using dried chickpeas that have been soaked and pre-cooked, add them now. If using canned, add in the final 30 minutes . Continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes until the chickpeas are soft, the raisins have swelled into the sauce, and the broth has reduced into something glossy and deeply flavored.

8. Rest and serve: Remove the cinnamon stick and herb bouquet. Taste and adjust salt. Let the braise rest for 10 minutes before serving — this settles the sauce and lets the flavors come together. Serve in a wide, shallow bowl with good bread or over couscous.

Ras el Hanout Tahini Apple Cake

A cake for the holidays using Tahini, Buckwheat Honey, and Ras el Hanout. Other elements include brown butter organic apples, crème fraiche, fresh ginger, lemon, whole sesame seeds, and brown sugar. This cake is unique in flavor from the first 3 niche ingredients. The fresh ginger and lemon accent the apples and brown butter. The sesame seeds on top provide a textural difference that is welcomed. Very tasty served with a dollop of creme fraiche. Extra tahini is applied while warm for a nice play on a glaze or icing. And of course a drizzle of honey is also a welcome addition although completely optional. Red apples like the Arkansas Black variety are what I used. The skin on adds a nice touch. Small’s Farm all purpose flour was used. You can also swap out crème fraiche for yogurt or sour cream. 

Serves 8-12 (9 inch cake)

Essential equipment needs:

• 9 inch cake pan

• Parchment paper

• Pan spray

• 2 quart sauce pan with lid

• Whisk

• Silicone spatulas

• Sifter

• Microplane or fine grater

Preheat oven to 325 f/162 c

Baking time 1 hour

Active time 20 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g apples, diced, 1 mega apple or 2 regular sized

• 10 g ginger, freshly grated

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 1.5 g ras el hanout (1 teaspoon) 

• 225 g all purpose flour

• 10 g baking powder (2 teaspoons)

• 4 g salt (1 teaspoon) 

• 180 g brown sugar

• 150 g crème fraiche

• 120 g tahini, plus extra for the glaze

• 85 g buckwheat honey, plus extra for the glaze

• 2 eggs, large

• Raw sesame seeds, as needed for the top

METHOD

Step 1 Prepare pan

Butter or spray a 9 inch round cake pan with the bottom lined with a parchment circle. 

Step 2 Prepare apples

250 g apples, diced, 1 mega apple or 2 regular sized

10 g ginger, freshly grated

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1.5 g ras el hanout (1 teaspoon) 

Dice apples to about ½-¾ inch cubes. Place apples into a medium sized bowl. 

Grate ginger onto the apples. Grate lemon zest onto apples and strain in the lemon juice from the whole lemon. Add the ras el hanout and toss to combine. 

Step 3 Cook apples 

Brown butter in a pan over medium high flame and when butter foams drop flame to medium. Continue to cook while whisking until brown and toasty. This can take 5-10 minutes depending on how the heat is applied. Add apple mixture, cover with the pan lid, turn flame down to a low and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and set aside. 

Step 4 Sift dry mix

225 g all purpose flour

10 g baking powder (2 teaspoons)

4 g salt (1 teaspoon) 

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl using a fine mesh strainer. Set aside. 

Step 5 Combine wet mix

180 g brown sugar

150 g crème fraiche

120 g tahini

85 g buckwheat honey

2 eggs, large

In a medium sized bowl whisk together brown sugar, crème fraiche, tahini, honey, and eggs until smooth and well combined. 

Step 6 Marry the mix

Raw sesame seeds, as needed for the top

Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and fold together with a silicone spatula. Adding wet to the dry in this manner prevents any flour lumps and creates a smooth uniform batter. 

Mix until just combined and a smooth batter is formed. Do not over mix. You will continue mixing when adding the apple mixture.

Lastly fold in the apple mixture until evenly dispersed into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pan and top with raw sesame seeds. 

Step 7 Bake the cake 

Position rack to the center. 

Bake the cake in a preheated

325 f/162 c oven for 1 hour or until the center springs back when gently pushed in the center. Remove cake onto a wire rack to cool. 

Step 8 Glaze (optional) 

tahini, about ¼ cup

honey, as needed 

While the cake is still warm, preferably right out of the oven, spoon tahini on top and spread to the edges. Drizzle with some honey. 

Step 9 Slice and enjoy

Enjoy cake while still warm or allow it to cool before slicing. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche and a cup of tea or coffee.

Storage 

Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Wrap only after completely cooled. Cake will stay moist the whole time and will actually improve after resting a day or so. 

Pan fried Cauliflower with Ras el Hanout Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Greek honey yogurt

• 1 tsp Ras el Hanout

• 1/2 cauliflower hear trimmed and cut into florets

• Salt to taste

• 2 tsp olive oil

Method

Boil the cauliflower for 7min on high heat. Remove and drain and dry well. Mix the yogurt with the Ras el Hanout. In a frying pan heat the oil and the butter. Add the cauliflower to the pan and seat until brown and crispy. Add the salt. Plate the yogurt and add the cauliflower on top

Mrouzia - Lamb Tagine

Ingredients

• 1 pound lamb (shoulder or neck)

• 1/2 tbls Ras-El-Hanout

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

• Pinch of saffron threads

• 1 onion (grated)

• 1/2 cup (75 grams) dried raisins

• 3 tbls extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 2 tablespoons of honey

• Almonds (whole raw)

• Fried almonds (whole blanched)

• 1/2 tsp salt (to taste)

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Method

1. First make the marinade. In a bowl combine all the spices. Ras-El-Hanout, ground ginger, a large pinch of saffron, salt, and pepper. Add a little bit of water and mix well. For the meat, you can use lamb shoulder or neck – if you do not like lamb you can use beef instead. Pour the marinade over the meat, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight if you can.

2. When you are ready to cook the meat, do the following: peel and cut the onion, then grate it using the big holes of a grater. Place the raisins in a bowl and cover them with hot water for 1-2 hours so they become soft.

3. In a heavy pot, drizzle the olive oil over medium heat, add the grated onion, mix, and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add the meat with all the marinade, and brown the meat from all sides cooking meat for around 5 minutes until it changes color, this will help hold the flavors into the meat.

   Once the meat is browned, add 2 cinnamon sticks to the pot, and cover the meat with water. Increase the heat to medium-high, cover the pot, and cook until the meat is tender! This can take up to 2 hours meanwhile you have to check on the meat every 20 minutes or so. Stir the meat, keep adding hot water, and just check on it until it’s done.
   

   When the meat is done, which means it is very soft, you can easily cut it with a knife add the drained raisins. Remove the cinnamon sticks and add the honey that brings this dish together.
   Uncover the pot, and continue cooking on medium-high for around 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes syrupy.

   
   To plate it, first place the meat, put the raisins in the middle on top of the meat, pour the sauce on top and around the meat, then top the entire thing with fried almonds!!! Serve with Moroccan bread or French baguette.

Celery Kefta Tagine

Ingredients

• 3 Celery stalks

• 1 Onion

• 1 Garlic clove

• 1 Preserved Lemon

• 1tsp Ras el hanout

• 1tsp Turmeric

• 1/2tsp Black pepper

• 3 tbsp Olive Oil

• 1 cup of Water

• Salt to taste

Kefta Meatballs:

• 1lb Ground Meat

• 2 tbsp Kefta Rub

• 2 crushed Walnuts

• 1 cup chopped Parsley

• 1 cup chopped Cilantro

• 1 Green Onion

• 1/3 cup diced Onion

• 2-3 Mint leaves

• 1 Sage leaf

Method

To prepare the Kefta:

1. Mix the ingredients together and knead until the mixture resembles a dough ball

2. Make small little balls. You could make this ahead of time and let the Kefta sit overnight

To prepare the Tagine:

1. Thinly slice the onions.

2. Heat the olive oil and cook onions on medium heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until translucent. Meanwhile cut the celery into thin long pieces.

3. Add the celery to the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add a tiny bit of water if the pan is drying.

4. Add your spices, and garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.

5. Add liquid and let simmer until the sauce has thickened and the celery is soft enough. This should be around 15-20 minutes covered on a slow med heat.

6. Add your rolled Kefta balls and cook for another 5 mins and add chopped parsley and cilantro. Let cook for 5 minutes. Your tagine is ready to enjoy with some crusty bread. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.

Roasted Tomatoes & Ras el Hanout Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 cup Greek Yogurt

• 1 tbls Honey

• 1 tbls Ras el Hanout

• 3 cups Tomatoes (we like a mix of heirloom cherry tomatoes)

• 2 cloves Garlic

• 4 Tbls Olive Oil

• Half bunch of Cilantro

• Salt (to taste)

Method

Mix the greek yogurt, honey and Ras el Hanout.

Create a marinade with the cilantro, grated garlic and olive oil.

Cut the tomatoes in slices or quarters or if using cherry tomatoes use them whole. Marinade them for an hour or so then either heat olive oil in a pan, add tomatoes and lightly sear for roughly 3 mins on each side OR roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 mins until skin begins to burst. Spread a generous scoop of yogurt on a plate and the tomatoes on top. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil from the pan. Enjoy with bread or serve with grilled meats.

Ras El Hanout Cake

Ingredients

• 2 Pears

• 200 gr Butter (room temp)

• 100 gr Butter (melted)

• 1/3 cup Nuts (your preference, we like to use walnuts and cashews)

• 4 Eggs

• 1 dl Milk

• 1.5 dl Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

• 250 gr Flour

• 11 gr Baking Powder

• 2 tbsp Ras el Hanout 

• 180 gr Sugar (granulated)

• 200 gr Honey

Preheat oven to 356 degrees F.

Peel the pears and cut lengthwise in quarters.

Melt 200g of butter with the honey add 1 tbsp of Ras El Hanout. When the liquid had melted, add the pears and cook gently on a low to medium heat for 20 minutes until the pears have become soft.

In a large bowl add the sugar, 1 tbls of Ras El Hanout, mix, then incorporate your eggs and whisk well.

Add the milk, flour and the baking powder and mix until everything is blended, then add butter and olive oil, again mix well until blended.

Spray a pound cake mold with baking spray or rub with butter and dust with flour.

Pour the batter in the mold and cook for 45 minutes.

Check if the cake is cooked by inserting a knife or a toothpick. If it comes out dry, your cake is done.

Let cool and transfer to a serving plate.

With a brush, glaze the top of the cake with the honey Ras El Hanout sauce. Place your pears and other nuts on top to garnish.

Enjoy!

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Ras el Hanout Saffron Clams

This dish is one of our all time favorites. It’s an incredibly simple way to impress at any dinner party with it’s complex fragrant, floral, earthy flavors.

• 2lbs Clams

• 8oz Cream

• 1sm Leek- finely chopped

• 1tsp Ras el Hanout

• 1 pinch Saffron

• 3/4 cup Cilantro

Wash and steam clams in a large pot until they open. Drain most of the water out leaving about 1/4 cup at the bottom. Add the cream and leeks then cook on medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add Ras el hanout and lower heat mixing until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Toss in cilantro and cook for another minute or so, then enjoy!