Last Friday night, J. and I enjoyed a late dinner at Lula Cafe. We split the feta cheese plate appetizer, he ordered the Pasta Yiayai (jokes included) and I the Moroccan Chickpea and Sweet Potato Tagine. Both dishes were wonderful. The next afternoon I was still thinking about Tagine, so I attempted to re-create it. I had extra mushrooms around, so I added those to the dish, and swapped out the cous-cous for brown rice. Here’s my take:
Sweet Potato Tagine
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 1-inch pieces of cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 teaspoon cumin
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-2 pinches of cayenne pepper (add to taste)
1 can Chickpeas
1 large sweet potato
4-5 tomatoes (canned & stewed) + their juice
6 oz diced white mushrooms
1 small box of raisins
Pre-heat oven to 450. With a fork, poke a few holes in the sweet potato & coat it a little vegetable oil (just enough to coat). Wrap sweet potato in tin-foil and put in the over for 20-30 min until cooked soft. Once it’s done, peel the sweet potato and dice it into 1/2 inch cubes.
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, and cumin; sauté about 2 minutes. Add onions; sauté until 1/2 way translucent. Add garlic; sauté until onions are fully translucent (careful not to brown the garlic nor the onions). Add the can of chick peas (including liquid) and stewed tomatoes (plus their sauce). Add turmeric and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and add cayenne pepper (1 pinch at a time). Break up tomatoes into smaller pieces, if desired. Stir in the sweet potato cubes, mushrooms and rasins. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft. Serve over brown rice.
Next time… we attempt to re-create the Pasta Yiayia….
……C
mateo said,
June 4, 2007 @ 3:42 pm
I would like to eat that dish, right now. will you make it for us next time we come to town?
junebugs said,
June 4, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
will gladly make it next time the hanloma’s are in town!
mark foshager said,
June 9, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
i like the name of your blog. “junebugs” fits well not only the current month, but also in some springy, jumpy, light way, the two of you G girls. i LOVE the name of the current entry, though i have not read it. i do not understand why half the words i type here i cannot see when i type them. must be some postmodern thing that i am somehow excluded from due to the boomer thing. all in all i’m feeling quite positive about junebugs.
mark foshager said,
June 9, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
i apoligize for my use of the word “thing” twice in the next to last sentence.
junebugs said,
June 10, 2007 @ 6:26 pm
many thanks, mark!
Xaco said,
June 11, 2007 @ 12:01 am
Junebug girls-
Who is that hottie in the photo? Is he just a model whose photo you snagged for the blog entry on tagine, or do you know him personally? Thank you in advance for any info you can provide.
hector guatemala said,
June 22, 2007 @ 3:34 am
Yeah I heard u and J. now have almost matching bikes, how cute! Cute! So cute!