Moroccan Lamb Tajine\Tagine with Potatoes, Carrots, and Zucchini

If I can have a favorite Moroccan tajine it is this one. It was the very first one that I learned to cook.  It is easy to make and simply wonderful to eat.  Moroccans love the sauce that the slow cooking process produces. It's all about the sauce with Moroccan cooking. Some of my friends have tried to eat all of the sauce themselves if I'd let them and have even suggested that we try to bottle the sauce and sell it by itself.  

Ingredients:

1 1\2 - 2 lbs lamb or poultry

1 medium onion chopped  

1 tomato, remove skin, chopped

6-7 sprigs of each flat leaf parsley and cilantro, finely chopped

1 chicken bouillon cube, optional                                                

1 Tbs garlic, minced

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ginger

Salt\pepper to taste

1 tsp paprika

3 pinches saffron

3-4 TBS Olive oil

2-3 large carrots cut into 6 pieces each carrot

3-4 med potatoes, cut into quarters

1 zucchini cut into 6 pieces

Place the tajine on medium heat.  Add the oil, chopped onion, parsley, cilantro and simmer for a few minutes.  Next, add all of the spices and bouillon cube and mix well, then place the chicken or lamb pieces on top.  Simmer about 30 minutes or until the meat is tender, browning on both sides. Now it is time to add the vegetables. Layer the vegetables by adding the potatoes first, then the carrots and finish with the zucchini.  The vegetables that take the longest to cook should go on the bottom.   Sprinkle with a little salt\pepper and cover.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender.  The overall cooking time may vary, but it usually takes about 2 hours or a little longer.  The sauce should be somewhat thick. If you have too much sauce uncover and cook down the sauce.  Serve with Khobz or French bread.  Enjoy

Note: you can add any combination of vegetables that you like.  You can also marinate this overnight with all of the spices, onion, herbs, tomato, and chicken or lamb.