Moroccan Tagine Beef with Prunes

INGREDIENTS

2 lb. (about 1 kg) tender beef or lamb, cut into three inch pieces
2 medium onions, grated or very finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoonPEPPER
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
1 or 2 3" to 4" pieces of cinnamon stick
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter or vegetable oil
handful of cilantro sprigs, tied together into a bouquet
1/2 lb. (about 1/4 kg) prunes
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon toasted golden sesame seeds (optional)
handful of fried almonds (optional)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes

PREPARATION

Clay or ceramic tagine method: Slice one of the onions, and layer the onion rings on the bottom of the tagine. Mix the meat with the grated onion, garlic, oils and spices, and place on theonion rings. Add 2 1/2 cups water, cover, and place the tagine on a diffuser over medium heat. Allow the tagine to reach a simmer, and then reduce the heat to the lowest temperature necessary to maintain the simmer..
Allow the tagine to cook for three hours or longer, until the meat is very tender and the liquids are reduced. (Note: About two hours into the cooking, remove and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquids.)

Cook the Prunes

While the meat is cooking, put the prunes in a small pot and cover with water. Simmer over medium heat, partially covered, until the prunes are quite tender. (How long this takes can vary greatly depending on the prunes, but the average time is 15 to 30 minutes.) Drain the prunes, and add the 1/2 cup of liquids reserved from the meat. Stir in the honey, sugar and cinnamon, and simmer the prunes another 10 minutes, or until they are sitting in a thick syrup.

To Serve

Put the meat on a large serving platter (if you've cooked in a tagine, it will also be used as the serving dish), and spoon the prunes and syrup on top. If desired, garnish with fried almonds and/or sesame seeds.

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