A Tajine or Tagine is a type of dish found in the North African cuisine of Morocco, which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked. The traditional tagine pot is formed entirely of clay which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts; a base unit which is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom, producing a very tender and succulent result. Removal of the cover without the aid of a mitten is facilitated by the knob-like formation at its top enabling the cook to inspect the main ingredient, add vegetables, move things around or add additional braising liquids. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving.
There are two types of tagines – cooking and serving. Mine is a cooking tagine!
The cooking tagines are less ornamental in their design and usually are made with a small hole or “pressure valve” to allow excess steam to escape.
My Moroccan Tagine
They need to be seasoned before use:
Immersing in water for 24 hours and then drain the water and dry the tagine.
Rub the interior of the lid and base with olive oil.
Place the tagine or other clay cookware in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 300° F (150° C), and set the timer for 2 hours. (cold-oven method simply means that you will start the oven cold rather than pre-heating).
After 2 hours, turn off the oven, and leave the tagine to cool completely in the oven.
Wash the cooled tagine with very mild soap and water by hand, and coat the interior with olive oil before storing or using.
Use a low burner setting or an oven temperature of no more than 325° F (160° C) while cooking, and heat diffusers are recommended for cooking on a gas burner.